RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND SOIL CARBON IN A MANAGED FOREST**

Authors

Alanis Bernis*, Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061Follow
Rebecca Barringer*, Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061Follow
Victoria Alden*, Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061Follow
Christine Mutiti, Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061Follow

Abstract

On forest floors, the amount of organic litter plays an important role in the amount of soil carbon storage, and this relationship is strengthened depending on habitat types. The goal of this project was to use data on canopy cover, organic horizon characteristics, and litter mass (g/m²) to test how aboveground vegetation patterns correlate with belowground soil carbon. We compared litter mass and percent soil carbon between sites with different management histories within the Bartram Wildlife Management Area located in Milledgeville, GA in Baldwin County. We evaluated whether the amount of litter was correlated with the soil organic carbon (SOC) percent. Litter mass was determined by collecting the organic layer using a 0.2704 m²quadrant and oven drying the litter at 105oC. The loss-on-ignition method was used to analyze soil samples to find the percent SOC, and GIS was used to obtain percent canopy cover for each site from LANDFIRE data. We used regression analysis to analyze the relationship between percent SOC, litter mass, and canopy cover. One-way ANOVA was used to compare means between sites under differing management approaches. Preliminary results indicate significantly higher litter mass in unmanaged hardwood sites than managed pine sites (P = 0.0004). There was a significant positive correlation shown by the regression analyses between the litter mass and percent SOC (P = 0.00072). This implies that litter mass is a significant predictor of SOC. Additionally, sites with a high litter accumulation and SOC values blended with high canopy coverage. This suggested that canopy structure may influence organic matter inputs and carbon retention. Overall, these results indicate that forest floor litter is a driver of soil carbon content, and that adding spatial data can improve understanding of carbon percentages in forest floors.

Acknowledgements

GCSU Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Recommended Citation

Bernis*, Alanis; Barringer*, Rebecca; Alden*, Victoria; and Mutiti, Christine (2026) "RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND SOIL CARBON IN A MANAGED FOREST**," Georgia Journal of Science, Vol. 84, No. 1, Article 188.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.gaacademy.org/gjs/vol84/iss1/188