Soils were collected from 15 randomly selected
subplots in each plot in early August 2007 and 2009.
For bulk density, one soil core (0–10 cm depth, 137 cm3)
was collected from the center of each subplot using a
bulk density sampler; litter was first removed from the
soil surface. For soil chemistry, cores (0–10 cm depth, 35
cm3) were taken with a tube-type sampler (Oakfield
Apparatus, Oakfield, Wisconsin, USA). After removing
surface litter, cores were extracted from two points
adjacent to each of the four vegetation quadrats; the
eight subsamples per subplot were composited as they
were collected. On the same day, samples were set out to
air dry (,258C) for ;72 h.