Vertical Distribution of Macro Nutrient on Drained Peat for Acacia crassicarpa plantations

Abstract

The development of peatlands for pulp Industrial Timber Estates (ITE) by reducing the water table has changed the balance of the ecosystem and the characteristics of peat soil in the area. The research aims to determine soil chemical after the implementation of drainage system on peat for Acacia crassicarpa plantation. Two field researches were conducted in ITE and natural peatlands in Riau Province. The research plot was made in a single transect observations perpendicular to the drainage channel. Parameters observed were chemical characteristics including vertical distribution of macro nutrients. The characteristics condition of plantation forest was then compared with the natural peat site. The measurement result of chemical parameters analyzed descriptively in the form of charts. Simple regression is used to observe the effect of drainage on those characteristics. The results showed that the presence of drainage system gave significant changes in the level of peat maturity at 0-150 cm depth as it causes subsidence rate of 5.5 cm / year. Further, the chemical characteristics indicates that there is an increase in the value of the macro nutrient content of N, P, K, Ca in ITE, however, there is a deficit of K, especially at 50-100 cm depth.