Nutrient cycling and distribution in different-aged plantations of Chinese fir in southern China

Ma, Xiao; Heal, Kate; Liu, Aiqin; Jarvis, P. G.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2007.02.018

Cited by 120 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…These forests are nutrient-poor, with shallow fertile soils [14]. Currently, the sustainability of Chinese fir plantations is threatened by biodiversity reduction, production loss, soil degradation, and a lack of self-regeneration, with the last being a particularly critical factor [14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Although some Chinese fir plantations have reached reproductive maturity, very few fir seedlings or saplings are present beneath the understory, with only sparsely covered shrubs and herbs above a thick litter layer on the forest floor [14,19,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Excessive Accumulation of Chinese Fir Litter Inhibits Its Own Seedling Emergence and Early Growth—A Greenhouse Perspective

Liu

Daryanto

Wang

et al. 2017

Forests

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Litter accumulation can strongly influence plants' natural regeneration via both physical and chemical mechanisms, but the relative influence of each mechanism on seedling establishment remains to be elucidated. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is one of the most important commercial plantations in southern China, but its natural regeneration is poor, possibly due to its thick leaf litter accumulation. We used natural and plastic litter to study the effects of Chinese fir litter on its own seedling emergence and early growth, as well as to assess whether the effect is physical or chemical in nature. Results showed that high litter amount (800 g·m −2 ) significantly reduced seedling emergence and the survival rate for both natural and plastic litter. Low litter amount (200 g·m −2 ) exerted a slightly positive effect on root mass, leaf mass, and total mass, while high litter amount significantly inhibited root mass, leaf mass, and total mass for both natural and plastic litter. Root-mass ratio was significantly lower, and leaf-mass ratio was significantly greater under high litter cover than under control for both natural and plastic litter. Although the root/shoot ratio decreased with increasing litter amount, such effect was only significant for high litter treatment for both natural and plastic litter. Seedling robustness (aboveground biomass divided by seedling height) decreased with increasing litter amount, with high litter treatment generating the least robust seedlings. Because plastic and natural litter did not differ in their effects on seedling emergence and growth, the litter layer's short-term influence is primarily physical. These data indicated that as litter cover increased, the initial slightly positive effects on seedling emergence and early growth could shift to inhibitory effects. Furthermore, to penetrate the thick litter layer, Chinese fir seedlings allocated more resources towards stems and aboveground growth at the expense of their roots. This study provided experimental evidence of litter amount as a key ecological factor affecting seedling development and subsequent natural regeneration of Chinese fir.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Excessive Accumulation of Chinese Fir Litter Inhibits Its Own Seedling Emergence and Early Growth—A Greenhouse Perspective

Liu

Daryanto

Wang

et al. 2017

Forests

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“…Successive rotation of Chinese fir monoculture plantations caused concentrations of soil nutrients in the top soil (0-20 cm) to decline, as reported by Xi et al (2009), Ma et al (2007 and Wei et al (2012). Decline in soil nutrients causes soil fertility to decline.…”

Section: Effect Of Successive Rotation On Soil Nutrientsmentioning

confidence: 60%

“…Since we did not have access to stands of 22-29 years of age, we could not establish an exact age for optimal harvesting after 21-years based on changes in soil nutrient levels. However, clear-har vesting should be delayed a further ~5 years at sites where Chinese fir plantations are continuously cultivated with clear-cutting at ~20-25 years (Ma et al 2007, Tian et al 2011. Moreover, our study showed that the 97-year-old stand accumulated more soil nutrients (such as total N, NO 3 --N, hydrolysable N, total P and available K) than the 40-year-old stand.…”

Section: Dynamics Of Soil Nutrients At Different Stand Agesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Stands should be grown for approximately 5 more years at sites that are currently managed by clear-harvesting at ~20-25 years (Ma et al 2007, Tian et al 2011. Thus, we suggest that current management practices should be revised to only two rotations and to har vest trees only between 25 and 30 years of age.…”

Section: Recommendations and Perspectives For Forest Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Soil nutrients dynamics in broadleaved forest and chinese fir plantations in subtropical forests

Selvalakshmi¹,

Vasu²,

H³

et al. 2018

JTFS

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“…In order to address the lack of sustainability and the possible decrease in long term production caused by nutrient depletion, authors of previous studies (Rennie 1955, Fölster & Khanna 1997, Ma et al 2007 have generally proposed the debarking of tree stems at the plantation site with the aim of minimizing nutrient export. However, this is considered an expensive, noncost effective and time-consuming practice by many forest managers and is currently not an option for forest companies in Central America.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modifying harvesting time as a tool to reduce nutrient export by timber extraction: a case study in planted teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) forests in Costa Rica

Fernández-Moya¹,

Algeet-Abarquero²,

Cabalceta³

et al. 2016

iForest

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Despite its low nutrient concentration, the high amount of biomass accumulated in the tree stem makes it an important nutrient sink. Hence, nutrient loss through timber removal at harvesting is a major cause of nutrient impoverishment at some forest sites. The present study was designed to test the following hypotheses: (a) nutrient allocation in the different tree tissues would be affected by (re)translocation processes related with leaf senescence; hence, (b) timber may have a higher nutrient concentration during the defoliated period (in deciduous species); and consequently, (c) modifying harvesting time could influence nutrient export. To test these hypotheses, the present study analyzes the intra-annual dynamics of foliar and trunk nutrient concentration in a planted teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) forest in Costa Rica. Samples from nine trees were taken at nine sampling times between June 2012 and August 2013. The results confirm the above-mentioned hypotheses and reveal that modifying harvesting time have different consequences: (1) when harvesting occurs between August and October, it reduces the N-P-K exported through timber harvesting by 24-29-43%; (2) when harvesting occurs in December, the reduction is 28-29-14%. Harvesting between August and October (rainy season) may involve logistical difficulties. Harvesting slightly earlier than usual (i.e., December, just after the rainy season but before leaf senescence) would therefore be an efficient approach to reducing nutrient export through timber extraction.

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Nutrient cycling and distribution in different-aged plantations of Chinese fir in southern China

Cited by 120 publications

References 22 publications

Excessive Accumulation of Chinese Fir Litter Inhibits Its Own Seedling Emergence and Early Growth—A Greenhouse Perspective

Excessive Accumulation of Chinese Fir Litter Inhibits Its Own Seedling Emergence and Early Growth—A Greenhouse Perspective

Soil nutrients dynamics in broadleaved forest and chinese fir plantations in subtropical forests

Modifying harvesting time as a tool to reduce nutrient export by timber extraction: a case study in planted teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) forests in Costa Rica

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