soil organic matter content (SOM), increased with soil moisture. Based upon the results, this

group of soil biogeochemical indicators follows biomass accumulation patterns and will attain

biogeochemical equilibrium after a stand age of approximately 60-70 years. The threshold

would be during the mature age class after the understory reinitiation phase of forest succession

has started.

 Soil biogeochemical studies require a great amount of resources and equipment to

conduct an ecosystem-level analysis. The research could have been improved if a series of soil

samples were analyzed over a two-year period, at 3-month intervals instead of annual sampling.

However, the cost of running net nitrogen mineralization, microbial biomass and ergosterol

determinations would be quite high. Our research has shown some interesting results, but

additional research is required to explore the biogeochemistry of wet longleaf pine flats. This

would include exploring the soil organic matter accumulation vs. flooding cycles in facultative

wetland pine sites, the relationship between tree root mass and fungal biomass during longleaf

succession, and the effects of competition between mycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi during

longleaf pine development.