Soils' Enzymatic Activity Under the Boxelder Maple in Floodland Forest Biogeocenoses
The study has been conducted regarding the activity of soil enzymes under the boxelder maple stands growing in the floodplain of the river Tom' within the city of Kemerovo. Soil samples have been taken on plots with three categories of tree crowns density. The outer zone of single trees was selected as a control plot. Mixed soil samples were collected from the 0–10 cm layer at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the vegetation seasons in 2017–2019, and the activity of hydrolytic enzymes (protease, phosphatase, and invertase) was determined. The highest level of hydrolytic soil enzymes activity was observed near single <i>A</i>. <i>negundo</i> trees in thin stands. The least seasonal variability was found for the activity of protease and phosphatase. Single trees in the thin stands had the coefficient of variation of enzymatic activity 1.5 times lower than in other studied samples. The closest negative correlation was determined between the activity of soil enzymes under <i>A</i>. <i>negundo</i> stands and the content of humus, total and nitrate nitrogen. The data obtained on the enzymatic activity can serve as one of the indicators of the soils' biological activity in forest stands, and can be used in biodiagnostics, biomonitoring and bioindication of the soils' state in natural ecosystems.