New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Comparison of some soil properties under Pinus radiata and improved
pasture
K. M. GIDDENS
R. L. PARFITT
H. J. PERCIVAL
Landcare Research
Private Bag 11052
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Abstract Some properties of surface mineral soils under
Pinus radiata were compared with those under adjacent pasture at ten
farm-forestry sites in the Manawatu, New Zealand. None of the sites had
received lime in the last 10 years. Generally, the soil samples under P.
radiata had lower pH and higher extractable aluminium concentrations than
their counterparts under pasture. Exchangeable calcium values were lower under
P. radiata, by 96-1275 kg/ha. Tree uptake and forest floor development
can account for up to 550 kg/ha; at six sites the difference was less than 550
kg/ha, suggesting that calcium generally was conserved by the P. radiata
ecosystem. Soil exchangeable sodium and magnesium values were usually greater
under P. radiata than under pasture; this probably resulted from the
interception of airborne sea-salt by the P. radiata canopy and
subsequent transfer to the soil. There were no general trends in the data for
available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium. Total nitrogen was often lower
in the samples under P. radiata, and the C/N ratio was generally greater
under P. radiata. Loss of soil nitrogen may arise from elimination of
legumes, accumulation by the trees, and possibly by leaching. Mineralisation of
nitrogen, together with production of organic acids and uptake of excess
cations over anions, may be possible causes of soil acidification.
Keywords acidity; Olsen-P; Bray-P; nitrogen; calcium;
magnesium; sodium; land-use
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1997, Vol. 40: 409-416
0028-8233/97/4003-0409 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1997
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