Leaf quality of Sesbania sesban, Leucaena leucocephala and Brachystegia spiciformis: potential agroforestry species

Nyathi, P.; Campbell, B. M.

doi:10.1016/0378-1127(94)90300-x

Cited by 11 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The woodland C at equilibrium is equivalent to 44% of the original woodland C. Persistence of such a large proportion of the initial C in a soil where little physical stabilization can be expected suggests that this fraction was chemically stabilized. The litter in the miombo woodlands dominated by Brachystegia spiciformis is characterized by large lignin and polyphenol concentrations (Nyathi & Campbell, 1994; Mtambanengwe & Kirchmann, 1995). Lignin is structurally recalcitrant and is highly resistant to decomposition.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term changes in organic matter of woodland soils cleared for arable cropping in Zimbabwe

Zingore

Manyame

Nyamugafata

2005

European J Soil Science

101

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Subsistence farmers in Africa depend largely on the soil organic matter to sustain crop productivity. Long-term changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen were measured after woodland clearance for smallholder subsistence farming or for commercial farming. The contents of organic carbon and nitrogen in soil under reference woodlands were largest (53.3 t C ha À1 , 4.88 t N ha À1 ) in a red clay soil ($ 50% clay þ silt), followed by a granitic sand ($ 12% clay þ silt; 22.8 t C ha À1 , 1.47 t N ha À1 ) and least (19.5 t C ha À1 , 0.88 t N ha À1 ) in a Kalahari sand ($ 5% clay þ silt). Organic carbon declined rapidly under cultivation to attain new equilibria within 10 years on all smallholdings. Greatest losses occurred in soils that initially contained most carbon and nitrogen in the order: red clay (22.4 t C ha À1 and 1.0 t N ha À1 ) > granitic sand (13.2 t C ha À1 and 0.8 t N ha À1 ) > Kalahari sand (10.6 t C ha À1 and 0.5 t N ha À1 ). On the clay soil, commercial farming with intensive use of mineral fertilizers and incorporation of maize stover led to more gradual decline: at equilibrium, contents of carbon and nitrogen were 15 t C ha À1 and 1.7 t N ha À1 greater than on smallholdings with similar soil and climate.In the Kalahari sand the 13 C of organic C remained constant after woodland clearance, and maize contributed less than 10% of the total C even after 55 years. The 13 C signature increased slightly with increasing duration of cultivation by smallholders in the granitic sands and red clay soil where maize contributed 29% and 35% of the C at equilibrium. Under more productive commercial farming, the carbon derived from maize accounted for 50% of the total after 10 years of cultivation and 67% at equilibrium. The persistence of woodland carbon in the sandy soil is attributed to chemical stabilization resulting from large concentrations of lignin and polyphenols in the tree litter, or as charcoal.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term changes in organic matter of woodland soils cleared for arable cropping in Zimbabwe

Zingore

Manyame

Nyamugafata

2005

European J Soil Science

101

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“…Coppicing, in reducing the amount of canopy area, will decrease the amount of leaf litter available. Nyathi and Campbell (1994) found, however, that coppice leaves have a higher nitrogen content than older leaves; this may compensate in part for the diminished supply of litter.…”

Section: Managing Non-wood Forest Productsmentioning

confidence: 97%

The Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa

B.M.¹

1996

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“…When considering E. PF1 alone, lignin concentration decreased significantly with plot age (p<0.0001). Although the relationships between litter organic composition and plantation age were scarcely studied, lignin was not related to plot age in the agroforestry species studied by Nyathi et al (1991). Ellis (1971) in Australia observed iron mobilisation by eucalypt litter extracts, and percolates of E. PF1 were shown previously to mobilise iron (Bernhard-Reversat 1999).…”

Section: Fibres and Methanol Extractable Phenolic Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of exotic tree plantations on plant diversity and biological soil fertility in the Congo savanna: with special reference to eucalypts

Bernhard-Reversat¹

2001

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Leaf quality of Sesbania sesban, Leucaena leucocephala and Brachystegia spiciformis: potential agroforestry species

Cited by 11 publications

References 3 publications

Long‐term changes in organic matter of woodland soils cleared for arable cropping in Zimbabwe

Long‐term changes in organic matter of woodland soils cleared for arable cropping in Zimbabwe

The Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa

Effect of exotic tree plantations on plant diversity and biological soil fertility in the Congo savanna: with special reference to eucalypts

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