Effects of chicken farming on soil organic carbon fractions and fungal communities in a Lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) forest in subtropical China

Abstract Bamboo-chicken farming (BCF) is a traditional model of forestry in China that increases the rate of utilization of forest resources and the economic benefits associated with forestland use. However, little is known about the effects of BCF on soil carbon sequestration and sustainable forestland use. In this study, BCF effects on soil nutrient content, organic carbon fractions, and fungal communities were analyzed in a Lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) forest. The data from five treatments (5, 15, 25, and 35 m from a hen house and the control, i.e., no chicken presence) were analyzed and compared. The results showed that BCF significantly increased (p