However, when considering the other two FMPs, C and N soil
contents were less powerful in explaining any enzyme activities
but soil base saturation percentage was still an important explanatory
variable. Since CO was considered to be intermediate between
the other two FMPs because of its dual arrangement of low tree
density with Oak forest soils alike, then it was expected to match
similar patterns to the other FMPs assessed. In this case, we found
that there was not a significant relationship presented in the first
canonical variate except that between soil respiration and soil
moisture or soil base saturation percentage. Although dehydrogenase
and arylsulphatase activities had the greatest response to C
and N soil contents in the second canonical variate. As expected,
in natural forest conditions of Oak, C and N soil contents were
not related to any canonical variate axes while soil base saturation
percentage was still explaining both dehydrogenase and
-glucosidase activities. At the same time, it was noticeable that
the relationship between soil respiration and soil moisture did not
change due to the FMP applied and also that dehydrogenase and
-glucosidase activities were the only ones to have high responses
for all FMPs. Finally, other differences found when comparing FMPs
were related to P soil content, which was the best variable for predicting
the behaviour of both dehydrogenase and -glucosidase
activities but only in natural forest conditions of Oak.
4