Abstract
The fast growth rate and high productivity of tropical plantation tree species and their high nutrient demand have raised site sustainability concern. The effects of fast-growing Gmelina arborea plantations in the tropical rainforest region of Nigeria were investigated. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties of plantations of different ages as well as between old growth Gmelina plantation and adjacent degraded natural forest were comparable, suggesting that plantation development did not have adverse effect on soil nutrients. However, this only applies if the plantations are managed on long rotation, as short rotations would lead to massive site nutrient export. Sustainability of productivity during the next rotation is likely to be determined by factors such as harvesting methods of current stands and management practices during the next rotation.
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Onyekwelu, J.C. (2011). Sustainability of Site Productivity in Tropical Forest Plantations: Case Study of Gmelina arborea Plantations in Tropical Rainforest, Nigeria. In: Günter, S., Weber, M., Stimm, B., Mosandl, R. (eds) Silviculture in the Tropics. Tropical Forestry, vol 8. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19986-8_28
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19986-8_28
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