Effects of forest reclamation methods on soil physicochemical properties in North-Central Vietnam.

Globally, forest loss is happening because of timber harvesting, agricultural expansion, wildfires, mining extraction and service transportation networks via roads. This study was conducted during 2016 to 2019 at Ngoc Lam Commune, Thanh Chuong District, Nghe An Province, Vietnam on the effect of forest reclamation methods (FRMs), including the slash-and-burn method (SBM), the clear-cutting method (CCM), and agricultural cultivation methods on the interaction of soil physicochemical properties across the study area. To conduct this study, soil samples were collected in natural forest areas in the study area. The results indicated that the bulk density (BD) of the natural forest soils across the study area ranged from 0.86 to 1.12 g/cm³ at depths varying from 0 to 60 cm from the surface. The concentrations of total carbon (T-C), exchangeable potassium (Exch. K⁺ ), and exchangeable magnesium (Exch. Mg²⁺) in the deeper layer were normally lower than in the upper layer. Forest reclamation using the CCM influenced the increase of the BD at depths varying from 0–20 cm, but the soil texture remained same, while forest reclamation applying the CCM showed an increase in the BD in the plots depending on the land-use management (LUM). Based on these findings, LUM has a significant influence on the concentration of Exch. Ca²⁺, Exch. K⁺, Exch. Mg²⁺, and T-C compared to FRMs across the North-Central Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]