Growth Performance and Biomass Accumulation of a &lt;i&gt;Khaya ivorensis&lt;/i&gt; Plantation in three Soil Series of Ultisols

Heryati Heryati

doi:10.3844/ajabssp.2011.33.44

Abstract

: Problem statement: There was no information about the relationship between growth parameters, such as diameter and height and tree component biomass of Khaya ivorensis plantations with different soil types. The objectives of this study were, first, to determine and compare the growth of K. ivorensis in three different (Padang Besar, Durian and Rengam) soil series of Ultisols and, second, to develop an allometric equation that estimates the biomass accumulation of the K. ivorensis plantation in three different soil series five years after planting. Approach: This study was conducted at a K. ivorensis plantation in the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Research Station in Segamat, Johor, Malaysia. The tree height (H) and Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) were measured to evaluate the growth performance of the K. ivorensis plantation. Five sampled or trees stand of K. ivorensis in each soil series were destructively analyzed. Results: The highest growth rates in terms of MAI diameter and height, and basal area were found for the Padang Besar soil series, which was followed by the Durian and Rengam soil series. The best fit regression of site-specific equations developed from the independent variable D are recommended for estimating tree component biomass and stem volume in each site. A single allometric equation using D was applicable for the estimation of biomass and stem volume however, in Padang Besar, stem biomass and stem volume were estimated with an equation using D2H. The highest stem volume and biomass accumulation value were recorded at Padang Besar (77.99 m3 h-1 and 63.16 t ha-1, respectively), which was followed by the Durian (53.10 m3 h-1 and 46.33t ha-1, respectively) and Rengam soil series (43.13 m3 h-1 and 40.96 t ha-1, respectively). Conclusion: Differences in the growth and biomass accumulation data indicate that forest productivity of K. ivorensis was affected by different site conditions. The higher growth performance and productivity of K. ivorensis in terms of the stem volume and biomass accumulation in Padang Besar compared those in the Durian and Rengam soil series shows that the species was able to adapt to the soil characteristics of the Padang Besar soil series.

Highlights

Managed natural or plantation forests have multiple environmental functions that are important both at the national and international scales and play a vital role in sustainable development (FAO, 2005)
The high survival of the planted K. ivorensis in the Padang Besar, Durian and Rengam soil series shows that the land-clearing system is the most appropriate management strategy for this species
The results show that the Padang Besar soil series produced the highest stem volume (77.99 m3 h−1), which was followed by Durian (53.10 m3 h−1) and Rengam (43.13 m3 h−1), while the accumulated aboveground biomass and total biomass in Padang Besar were higher compared with Durian and Rengam

Summary

Introduction

Managed natural or plantation forests have multiple environmental functions that are important both at the national and international scales and play a vital role in sustainable development (FAO, 2005). The tropical rainforests are one of the natural resources and most complex terrestrial ecosystems in the earth surface in terms of structural and species biodiversity that are very important for human life (Montagnini and Jordan, 2005). The tropical forests have decreased at a rate of 16.9 million hectares annually (FAO, 2003). In Malaysia, the average annual rate of deforestation was 78.500 hectares of forest per year between 1990 and 2000, which is an average annual deforestation rate of 0.35% (FAO, 2005). Corresponding Author: Arifin Abdu, Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry, University Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: +603-89467177 Fax: +603-89432514 33.

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