Fungi population and soil chemical and physical properties across different vegetation stands in andisols soil profiles

Knowledge about the forest stands and upland farming affect soil biological, physical, and chemical properties is crucial for land management. This research was to evaluate the relationship of fungi population and soil physical and chemical properties across different vegetation stands in Andisols soil profiles. Soil sampling was conducted on Mount Merbabu National Park (puspa (Schima noronhae Theaceae) and pine (Pinus merkusii Pinaceae)) and upland farming. Each stands was made a pedon with 3 replications, and each pedon was sampled at soil profile depths 0-100 cm (0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-50, 50-70, and 70-100 cm) so 54 soil samples were obtained. The soil samples were then analyzed: fungi population by the Spread Plate Count method, soil pH by pH meter, soil organic matter (SOM) by Walkley and Black method, soil moisture by gravimetric method, and soil porosity by estimating from bulk density and particle density values. The results showed that puspa had the highest means fungi population, SOM, and soil moisture which were significantly different from pine and upland farming; the highest fungi population and SOM content in each stands was produced in the top layer (0-10 cm) and decreases with increasing soil depth; the lowest soil moisture was obtained in the top layer and increases with increasing soil depth; and fungi population had a highly significant relationship with SOM and soil moisture in puspa (r = 0.809** and r = -0.591**), pine (r = 0.894** and r = -0.746**), and upland farming (r = 0.624** and r = -0.604**). Puspa had the highest fungi population, SOM, and soil moisture compared to other stands types, so that puspa can be recommended as a good type of revegetation plant for forest ecosystem conservation.