Abstract
The establishment of an Acacia mangium plantation often alters physicochemical characteristics and nutrient concentrations of soils. We aimed to evaluate the invasive potential of A. mangium forest on the soil in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, Peninsular, Malaysia. To achieve the mentioned target, four different regions, namely, the open ground region (OG), Acacia mangium region (AM), transition region (TZ), and native forest region (NF), were selected and each of the regions was divided into six plots. Composite samples were randomly taken from subplots at 0–15 cm depth (topsoil) and 15–30 cm depth (subsoil). Some physicochemical properties such as soil moisture and texture, textural classification, bulk density and particle density, pH, electric conductivity (EC), exchangeable bases (EB) (Ca, Mg and K), cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), and available phosphorous (Av. P) were analyzed. The results of our study showed that the soil of the AM region, which was clay loam, contained clay (51%), silt (32%), and sand (16%). The chemical analysis of topsoil showed significant differences in terms of OM%, exchangeable- Ca, Mg, K (molc kg−1), N (%), gravitational water content (GWC), and Avail. P between all four regions. Additionally, the highest pH and OM of topsoil were seen in the AM region with 4.5% and 4.33%, respectively. In the subsoil, there were significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) in terms of EC (ds/m), OM (%), Exchangeable- Ca, Mg and K (cmolc kg−1), GWC, available phosphorus, and N (%) between all four regions. The highest GWC, N (%), and Ca (cmolc kg−1) were observed in the AM region with 16.00, 0.14%, and 0.64 cmolc kg−1, respectively. These results showed that A. mangium changed some soil characteristics due to its invasion potential. In summary, A. mangium showed high adaptability on degraded forest land and high ability to accumulate the soil physicochemical properties to enhance its growth.
Highlights
Tropical rainforests are known as the richest, most multi-functional, and complex natural ecosystem in the world [1]
A total of 16 tree species from 13 genera and 11 families were reported in the TZ region, wherein the most dominant tree species were Endospermum diadenum, followed by Acacia mangium, Macaranga gigantean, and Rinorea anguifera
This study revealed that Acacia mangium can improve some physical and chemical properties of degraded secondary forest soils in Air Hitam Forest Reserve in Puchong, Malaysia
Summary
Tropical rainforests are known as the richest, most multi-functional, and complex natural ecosystem in the world [1]. These luxuriant forests have prevailed at an unprecedented level of detail and accuracy by anthropogenic activities such as commercial plantations, shifting cultivation, and timber extraction [2], leading to the degradation, fragmentation, Forests 2021, 12, 1259 dented level of detail and accuracy by anthropogenic activities such as commercial plantations, shifting cultivation, and timber extraction [2], leading to the degradation, fragand conversion forestlandsof[3]. In Degradation in is thedefined rainforest is defined as in the forestland in terms of producing and services due to the [4]. Tothe preserve the rainforest ecosystem, rehabecomes an attractive task, avoiding or suppressing the degradation impact on vegetation bilitation becomes an attractive task, avoiding or suppressing the degradation impact on stock, ecosystem and soil nutrients [7]. nutrients
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