Effects of afforestation with Eucalyptus grandis on soil physicochemical and microbiological properties

Soil Research ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danju Zhang ◽  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Wanqin Yang ◽  
Fuzhong Wu
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Western China ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Arable Soils ◽  
Total N ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Microbiological Properties

It is generally believed that plantations of Eucalyptus bring about a decrease in soil fertility. Soil physicochemical and microbiological properties were measured across a range of E. grandis plantation ages (1–10 years) in south-western China to determine whether and how eucalypt afforestation of agricultural land affected the soil fertility. The results indicate that afforestation with E. grandis caused changes in soil properties with soil depth, and the changes were dependent on the stand age. Soil bulk density decreased significantly, but water-holding capacity increased significantly with time. Soil organic matter content, C : N ratio, and soil microbial biomass C and N concentrations showed an initial phase of decline and then increased significantly over time in the upper soil layers of E. grandis plantations aged from 1 to 4 or 5 years. Soil pH in E. grandis plantations did not change significantly with stand age or soil layer. Cation exchange capacity in the upper soil layer of E. grandis plantations increased significantly over time. Total exchangeable bases and base saturation in the soil decreased significantly with depth and with increasing plantation age. Furthermore, E. grandis afforestation of arable soils had no significant effects on total N, total P, and available P contents. The requirements of the trees, understory microenvironmental conditions, and allelopathic effects might play important roles in the dynamic changes of soil physicochemical and microbiological properties. The results demonstrate the progressive development of processes that lead to the restoration of soil fertility following E. grandis afforestation of arable soils. However, most of the properties measured for the afforested soils resembled the properties of arable soils and did not resemble those of the soil of control forests. Thus, reversion of soil properties in the study plantations is likely to require a considerable period of time. Long-term research is needed to understand changes in the soil properties resulting from afforestation with Eucalyptus and to predict future trends.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties of Sandy-Textured Soils under Smallholder Agricultural Land Use Practices in Sarawak, East Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Soo Ying Ho ◽  
Mohd Effendi Bin Wasli ◽  
Mugunthan Perumal
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Physicochemical Properties ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Nutrient Contents

A study was conducted in the Sabal area, Sarawak, to evaluate the physicochemical properties of sandy-textured soils under smallholder agricultural land uses. Study sites were established under rubber, oil palm, and pepper land uses, in comparison to the adjacent secondary forests. The sandy-textured soils underlain in all agricultural land uses are of Spodosols, based on USDA Soil Taxonomy. The soil properties under secondary forests were strongly acidic with poor nutrient contents. Despite higher bulk density in oil palm farmlands, soil properties in rubber and oil palm land uses showed little variation to those in secondary forests. Conversely, soils under pepper land uses were less acidic with higher nutrient contents at the surface layer, especially P. In addition, soils in the pepper land uses were more compact due to human trampling effects from regular farm works at a localized area. Positive correlations were observed between soil total C and soil total N, soil exchangeable K, soil sum of bases, and soil effective CEC, suggesting that soil total C is the determinant of soil fertility under the agricultural land uses. Meanwhile, insufficient K input in oil palm land uses was observed from the partial nutrient balances estimation. In contrast, P and K did not remain in the soils under pepper land use, although the fertilizers application by the farmers was beyond the crop uptake and removal (harvesting). Because of the siliceous sandy nature (low clay contents) of Spodosols, they are poor in nutrient retention capacity. Hence, maintaining ample supply of organic C is crucial to sustain the productivity and fertility of sandy-textured soils, especially when the litterfall layers covering the E horizon were removed for oil palm and pepper cultivation.

scholarly journals Soil Available Phosphorus Loss Caused by Periodical Understory Management Reduce Understory Plant Diversity in a Northern Subtropical Pinus massoniana Plantation Chronosequence

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 231
Author(s):  
Dong Dai ◽  
Ashfaq Ali ◽  
Xin Huang ◽  
Mingjun Teng ◽  
Changguang Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Pinus Massoniana ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Soil Available Phosphorus ◽  
Understory Plants ◽  
Understory Diversity ◽  
Understory Plant

Clearing of understory plants is a common management method in plantation forests, but its long-term impact on soil properties and understory plant diversity is still poorly understood. In order to uncover the potential relationship between understory diversity and soil properties, we categorized understory plants into herbs and shrubs, and took soil depth into consideration. We measured the soil variables and investigated the understory plant diversity in four stand age-classes (9-year-old for young, 18-year-old for intermediate, 28-year-old for near-mature, and 48-year-old for mature) in a Pinus massoniana plantation. We aimed to examine how the diversity of herbs and shrubs changed with stand succession and to determine which of the three soil depths (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–40 cm) had the strongest explanation for the understory plant diversity. Furthermore, structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to assess the direct and indirect effect of understory clearing and stand age on understory diversity. We found that understory clearing influenced the trend of diversity of herbs and shrubs with stand age, and understory diversity showed a strong correlation with soil physical properties in all three soil layers. The soil properties in the 10–20 cm soil layer related with the diversity of herbs and shrubs most, while the 20–40 cm soil layer properties related with them the least. Understory clearing reduced soil available phosphorus (AP). Understory clearing and stand age were found to benefit understory plant diversity directly and decreased the understory diversity indirectly via AP. Consequently, to improve our understanding of the impact of understory clearing and stand age on biodiversity, we should take into account its direct and indirect effects.

scholarly journals Stand age and tree species affect N<sub>2</sub>O and CH<sub>4</sub> exchange from afforested soils

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 2535-2546 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Christiansen ◽  
P. Gundersen
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Species Difference ◽  
N2o Emission ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
N Availability ◽  
N2o Production ◽  
Top Soil ◽  
Over Time

Abstract. Afforestation of former agricultural land is a means to mitigate anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the effect of oak (Quercus robur) and Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) stands of different stand ages (13–17 and 40 years after afforestation, respectively) on N2O and CH4 exchange from the soil under these species and (2) identify the environmental factors responsible for the differences in gas exchange between tree species of different ages. N2O and CH4 fluxes (mean ± SE) were measured for two years at an afforested site. No species difference was documented for N2O emission (oak: 4.2 ± 0.7 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1, spruce: 4.0 ± 1 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1) but the youngest stands (1.9 ± 0.3 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1) emitted significantly less N2O than older stands (6.3 ± 1.2 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1). CH4 exchange did not differ significantly between tree species (oak: −8.9 ± 0.9, spruce: −7.7 ± 1) or stand age (young: −7.3 ± 0.9 μg CH4-C m−2 h−1, old: −9.4 ± 1 μg CH4-C m−2 h−1) but interacted significantly; CH4 oxidation in the soil increased with stand age in oak and decreased with age for soils under Norway spruce. We conclude that the exchange of N2O and CH4 from the forest soil undergoes a quick and significant transition in the first four decades after planting in both oak and Norway spruce. These changes are related to (1) increased soil N availability over time as a result of less demand for N by trees in turn facilitating higher N2O production in older stands and (2) decreasing bulk density and increased gas diffusivity in the top soil over time facilitating better exchange of N2O and CH4 with the atmosphere.

scholarly journals Assessment of Agricultural Land Use Systems for Soil Fertility Maintenance

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-71
Author(s):  
M. T. Folarin ◽  
A. J. Adeyemo ◽  
G. O. Elumalero ◽  
O. J. Olalekan ◽  
M. O Apenah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Particle Density ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Grazing Land ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Radial Sampling

Land is the most important endowment in nature, providing livelihood in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. However, most areas of land previously developed from tropical rainforest have been degraded as a result of land misuse with nutrient mining and soil degradation presently considered as problems in arable farms. Hence, the extent to which land for crop production influences soil properties need to be studied to greater details due to variations in soils by location. The objective of the study is to investigate the effect of agricultural land use systems on the soil physical and chemical properties. Three representative fields with three replicates each which have been in active use for last 5 years were selected from each agricultural land use types: Cultivated (07.31° N 05.12° E 360.0 M), Agroforestry (07.31° N 05.21° E 373.5 M) and Grazing land (07.29° N 05.35° E 355.0 M). Five soil subsamples were collected from the depths of 0-20 and 20 - 40 cm each in a radial sampling. The data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Statistical Analytical System (SAS) and the means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at P<0.05 significant level. The mean values of soil chemical properties are highest in the agroforestry land followed by cultivated and then in the grazing land. Grazing land shows the highest bulk density of (1.87 g/cm3), cultivated (1.30 g/cm3) and then agroforestry (1.24 g/cm3) with same trends recorded in particle density across the land use. The soils significantly responded to changes in land use systems through salient soil features which constitute soil properties governing soil fertility and productivity. Such human-induced change is not limited to surface soils but also the subsurface soils and has remarkable implication for ecosystem quality and productivity of the traditional low-external-input agriculture in the study area.

scholarly journals Co-evolution hints at soil microbial biomass as the entity of soil fertility

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masato Oda ◽  
Yasukazu Hosen ◽  
Uchada Sukchan
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Soil Microbial Biomass ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Total N ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Wide Range

Nitrogen (N) and Carbon (C) are popular indicators of soil fertility; however, they are not soil fertility itself. In fact, they may be seen as just two aspects of the one entity. Soil microbial biomass (SMB) is also one of soil fertility indicators; furthermore, recent study of co-evolution between plants and microorganisms raises an idea that SMB might be the entity of fertility. The correlation between SMB and crop yield has been found in some studies but not in others. Those studies were conducted from the standpoint of N stock balance; therefore, the correlation between soil properties before planting and plant yields were analyzed. Here, we show—in our analysis of harvest-time soil properties and crop yields—that SMB correlates more strongly than inorganic N, total N, or total C with average crop yield under a wide range of cultivation conditions. From the viewpoint of co-evolution, plant biomass is a part of the plant and soil microorganism system; therefore, increasing SMB will balance by increasing plant biomass. In addition, the SMB could increase independently from the plant growth by artificial organic matter input. This concept will break through the yield limitation of conventional farming.

scholarly journals Impact of alley cropping system on soil fertility

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
Jannatul Ferdush ◽  
Md. Meftahul Karim ◽  
Iffat Jahan Noor ◽  
Sadia Afrin Sadia Afrin Ju ◽  
Tofayel Ahamed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Wheat Production

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of pruned materials of two hedgerow species on wheat production and soil nutrient changes at different nitrogen levels in the research farm of the Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMARU) during November 2012 to March 2013. The design of the experiment was split plot, where two multipurpose tree species (MPTS) namely Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala were arranged in main plots and five different doses of nitrogen (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % of recommended dose) with pruned materials were distributed to sub plots. Alley widths of both tree species were 6.0 meter. There were also control plots where full dose of recommended nitrogen was applied but no pruned material (PM) was incorporated. The soil chemical properties in the alleys consisting of G. sepium and L. leucocephala responded differently. Positive changes in the soil fertility in terms of soil pH, organic C, total N, available P, available S and exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and CEC of the top soil layer were observed in alley cropping system. Pruned materials application substantially reduced the nitrogen requirement for wheat production and 50 % Nitrogen fertilizer could be saved through pruned materials application. Among the tree species G. sepium seemed to be superior over L. leucocephala in building soil health.    

scholarly journals Co-evolution hints at soil microbial biomass as the entity of soil fertility

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masato Oda ◽  
Yasukazu Hosen ◽  
Uchada Sukchan
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Soil Microbial Biomass ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Total N ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Wide Range

Nitrogen (N) and Carbon (C) are popular indicators of soil fertility; however, they are not soil fertility itself. In fact, they may be seen as just two aspects of the one entity. Soil microbial biomass (SMB) is also one of soil fertility indicators; furthermore, recent study of co-evolution between plants and microorganisms raises an idea that SMB might be the entity of fertility. The correlation between SMB and crop yield has been found in some studies but not in others. Those studies were conducted from the standpoint of N stock balance; therefore, the correlation between soil properties before planting and plant yields were analyzed. Here, we show—in our analysis of harvest-time soil properties and crop yields—that SMB correlates more strongly than inorganic N, total N, or total C with average crop yield under a wide range of cultivation conditions. From the viewpoint of co-evolution, plant biomass is a part of the plant and soil microorganism system; therefore, increasing SMB will balance by increasing plant biomass. In addition, the SMB could increase independently from the plant growth by artificial organic matter input. This concept will break through the yield limitation of conventional farming.

Agriculture changes soil properties on the Galápagos Islands – two case studies

Soil Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin H. Gerzabek ◽  
Armin Bajraktarevic ◽  
Katharina Keiblinger ◽  
Axel Mentler ◽  
Maria Rechberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Natural Forest ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Arable Soils

The Galápagos Islands have faced a huge rise in the number of inhabitants and tourists over recent decades. As a consequence, natural forest vegetation has been converted to arable land to meet the increasing demand for agricultural produce. However, studies on soils and soil use change in the Galápagos Islands are scarce. In this study, we assessed the impacts of agricultural land-use on the islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal. The site on Santa Cruz was called El Cascajo (EC, Leptosol, 5 years after conversion to intensive agriculture) and that on the oldest island of the Galápagos archipelago, San Cristóbal, Cerro Verde (CV, Ferralsol, 15 years after conversion). At both sites, we compared arable soils to soils under forests within the adjacent Galápagos National Park, which had formed on the same parent materials. Several soil properties showed a significant impact of the arable use. Soil organic carbon (Corg) stocks were relatively high at both sites (between 94 ± 28 and 142 ± 10 Mg ha–1). At CV, the stocks were 25% lower in arable plots compared with natural forest, but the observed decrease at EC was non-significant. Many other parameters like total nitrogen and several Mehlich-III extractable nutrients were closely correlated with the changes in Corg. Microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and dissolved organic carbon were significantly lower in arable plots compared with forest at both sites. At EC, Cmic/Corg dropped by a factor of 1.9. Changes in pH and the use of agrochemicals, evidenced by pesticide residues detected in the soil, might be a possible explanation. Ammonium-N decreased and nitrate-N increased tremendously in the arable plots on both islands. Our research shows that present agricultural practices have potential for improvements towards a more sustainable agricultural use of soil resources on the Galápagos Islands.

scholarly journals Wheat Yield Trend and Soil Fertility Status in Long Term Rice-Rice-Wheat Cropping System

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 21-28
Author(s):  
Nabin Rawal ◽  
Devraj Chalise ◽  
Janmejai Tripathi ◽  
Dinesh Khadka ◽  
Khim Thapa
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Soil Analysis ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Control Plot ◽  
Partial Recovery ◽  
Total N

A long-term soil fertility experiment under rice-rice-wheat system was performed to evaluate the long term effects of inorganic fertilizer and manure applications on soil properties and grain yield of wheat. The experiment began since 1978 was laid out in randomized complete block design with 9 treatments replicated 3 times. From 1990 onwards, periodic modifications have been made in all the treatments splitting the plots in two equal halves of 4 x 3 m2 leaving one half as original. In the original treatments, recent data revealed that the use of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) @10 t ha-1 gave significantly (P≤0.05) higher yield of 2.3 t ha-1 in wheat, whereas control plot gave the lowest grain yield of 277 kg ha-1. Similarly, in the modified treatments, the use of FYM @10 t ha-1 along with inorganic Nitrogen (N) and Potassium oxide (K2O) @ 50 kg ha-1 produced significantly (P≤0.05) the highest yield of 2.4 t/ha in wheat. The control plot with an indigenous nutrient supply only produced wheat yield of 277 kg ha-1 after 35th year completion of rice-rice-wheat system. A sharp decline in wheat yields was noted in minus N, phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) treatments during recent years. Yields were consistently higher in the N:P2O5:K2O and FYM treatments than in treatments, where one or more nutrients were lacking. The application of P2O5 and K2O caused a partial recovery of yield in P and K deficient plots. There was significant (P≤0.05) effect of use of chemical fertilizers and manure on soil properties. The soil analysis data showed an improvement in soil pH (7.8), soil organic matter (4.1%), total N content (0.16%), available P (503.5 kg P2O5 ha-1) and exchangeable K (137.5 kg K2O ha-1) in FYM applied treatments over all other treatments. The findings showed that the productivity of the wheat can be increased and sustained by improving nutrient through the integrated use of organic and inorganic manures in long term.Journal of Nepal Agricultural Research Council Vol.1 2015 pp.21-28

scholarly journals Of the ecological effects of green manure of binary mixtures on chernozem

2012 ◽  
pp. 77-86
Author(s):  
А. M. Grebennikov
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Binary Mixtures ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Ecological Effects ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Green Manure Crops ◽  
Microbiological Properties

It is shown that the different composition of green manure in binary mixtures of sunflower, buckwheat and soybean can exert uneven effect on a set of soil properties which are vital for the fertility. The method is considered to construct the comparison variants for assessing the effects of mixing the green manure crops in agrocommunities on agrochemical, agrophysical and microbiological properties of soils. The close relationship was found between changes in these properties and indicators of productivity of green manure agrocommunities and the efficient soil fertility. Among the binary mixtures the soy + sunflower, buckwheat varieties Winged + sunflower and buckwheat varieties Demetra + sunflower are most promising for improving the fertility of chernozems.

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