Effect of young woody plantations on carbon and nutrient accretion rates in a redeveloping soil on coalmine spoil in a dry tropical environment, India

Abstract

AbstractWe compared the effects of young high‐density plantations of three native trees (legumes: Albizia lebbeck, A. procera and a non‐legume: Tectona grandis) and one fast growing woody grass species (Dendrocalamus strictus) on carbon and nutrients stock and their accretion rates in a redeveloping soil. This soil was the early phase of mine spoil restoration in a dry tropical environment. The soil bulk density and accumulation rates of C, N and P at 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil depth were determined in 4‐ to 5‐year‐old plantations. The total nutrient stock of soil C, N, P significantly varied in redeveloping soil according to plantation type, plantation age and soil depth. A. lebbeck greatly improved C and N content followed by D. strictus, A. procera and T. grandis plantations. However, accretion rates of C and N were substantially high in the D. strictus plantation. Therefore, D. strictus, contributed significantly to the redevelopment of mine spoil soils. In the case of total P nutrient, A. procera showed the greatest amount among the plantations but the accretion rate was also high for T. grandis followed by A. procera, A. lebbeck and D. strictus. This study indicates that all N‐fixing species may not be equally efficient in improving soil qualities especially N in the soil. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.