Soil fertility changes following conversion of grassland to oil palm
Nelson, P.N., Banabas, M., Nake, S., Goodrick, I., Webb, M.J., and Gabriel, E. (2014) Soil fertility changes following conversion of grassland to oil palm. Soil Research, 52 (7). pp. 698-705.
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Abstract
Impacts of palm oil industry expansion on biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions might be mitigated if future plantings replace grassland rather than forest. However, the trajectory of soil fertility following planting of oil palm on grasslands is unknown. We assessed the changes in fertility of sandy volcanic ash soils (0–0.15 m depth) in the first 25 years following conversion of grassland to oil palm in smallholder blocks in Papua New Guinea, using a paired-site approach (nine sites). There were significant decreases in soil pH (from pH 6.1 to 5.7) and exchangeable magnesium (Mg) content following conversion to oil palm but no significant change in soil carbon (C) contents. Analyses to 1.5 m depth at three sites indicated little change in soil properties below 0.5 m. There was considerable variability between sites, despite them being in a similar landscape and having similar profile morphology. Soil Colwell phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium (K) contents decreased under oil palm at sites with initially high contents of C, nitrogen, Colwell P and exchangeable cations. We also assessed differences in soil fertility between soil under oil palm (established after clearing forest) and adjacent forest at two sites. At those sites, there was significantly lower soil bulk density, cation exchange capacity and exchangeable calcium, Mg and K under oil palm, but the differences may have been due to less clayey texture at the oil palm sites than the forest sites. Cultivation of oil palm maintained soil structure and fertility in the desirable range, indicating that it is a sustainable endeavour in this environment.
| Item ID: | 34192 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1838-6768 |
| Keywords: | soil acidification, sustainability, soil degradation, land use effects on soil, Papua New Guinea, exchangeable cations |
| Funders: | Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) |
| Projects and Grants: | ACIAR SMCN-2009-013 |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jul 2014 01:49 |
| FoR Codes: | 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0503 Soil Sciences > 050304 Soil Chemistry (excl Carbon Sequestration Science) @ 50% 07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0701 Agriculture, Land and Farm Management > 070101 Agricultural Land Management @ 50% |
| SEO Codes: | 82 PLANT PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 8203 Industrial Crops > 820399 Industrial Crops not elsewhere classified @ 50% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9614 Soils > 961402 Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Soils @ 50% |
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