Nutrient disorders and nutrient management in fast growing plantations

Abstract

The negative impact of fast-growing tree plantations, especially when grown in short rotations, on nutrient reserves of poor tropical soils is often described. The intensity of soil and forest degradation may be assessed by different approaches, including detailed observation of deficiency symptoms and yield development, foliar and soil analyses, as well as diagnostic fertilizer experiments. Input/output analyses, taking into consideration water and nutrient fluxes between the different plant and soil compartments are means to evaluate the sustainability of tropical tree plantations. Only a small amount of data is available up to now, indicating poor sustainability. Soil and tree nutrient status can be improved by the application of mineral fertilizer, which is usually rapidly effective. In contrast, amelioration by management practices is only slowly effective, nevertheless important in view of sustainability, environmental protection and biodiversity. A big gap exists in reliable data on water and element dynamics in forest plantations with different tree species under different ecological conditions, and under different management practices.