Table 1 Characteristics of the two forest sites studied

 Bulk density (Mg m⁻³)

0.9

0.8

 Texture (sands:silts:clays, %)

60:14:26

27:47:26

 pH (H₂O)

6.5-7.0

4.2-5.1

 Organic C (mg C g⁻¹)

18.9

70.1

 Total N (mg N g⁻¹)

2.3

4.0

 C:N ratio

8.2

17.5

 Available P (mg P kg⁻¹)

6.4

4.9

 Resin P (mg P kg⁻¹)

1.73

0.40

 Total P (mg P kg⁻¹)

290

420

 Exchangeable Ca (mg Ca kg⁻¹)

1744

280

 Exchangeable Mg (mg Mg kg⁻¹)

453

85

 Exchangeable K (mg K kg⁻¹)

163

195

 Aboveground biomass (Mg C ha⁻¹)

36.2

33.6

 Roots (0–20 cm depth; Mg C ha⁻¹)

6.7

10.9

 Total biomass (Mg C ha⁻¹)

42.9

44.5

 Leaf P concentration (mg P g⁻¹)

2.8

0.9

 Leaf Ca concentration (mg Ca g⁻¹)

19.1

4.6

 Leaf Mg concentration (mg Mg g⁻¹)

4.8

2.1

 Leaf K concentration (mg K g⁻¹)

15.2

7.3