Lorenz G.

Palec FBS 230

MSF-SFI Mar. 14, 2012

1.1
Physiologists established the elements essential for growth in the early twentieth century
and mineral nutrition is now relatively well understood in the context of the processes
that drive plant growth. Application of fertilizer to forests is an established silvicultural
practice. For example rates of canopy development and canopy size are strongly
dependent on the supply of nitrogen. Fertilizers are also used to correct nutrient
imbalances that can impair the functioning of processes that are crucial to acceptable
growth and form. However, there are other ways of managing forest nutrition.
Cultivation, residue retention, elimination of burning, organic matter maintenance,
prevention of erosion, use of legumes, application of treated municipal wastes, and the
promotion of mycorrhizal infection of roots are all forms of management of nutrition, and
in all of these cases a knowledge of the underlying physiological processes helps in
defining the most appropriate regimes (2).
Small amounts of nutrients can also enter foliage and soil through atmospheric deposition
and this can be critical to the welfare of certain ecosystems.
However, nutrient inputs from air pollution can be significant. Soils in southern Sweden
have been estimated to receive approximately 30 kg ha-1 of free nitrogen from the
combustion of coal and other fossil fuels in Germany. This, combined with increased
CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, has resulted in higher growth rates. However, air
pollution is not recommended as an acceptable silvicultural practice (2).
Acacia mangium commonly used for reforestation due to their rapid growth, tolerance of
poor soil condition, and commercial wood purposes. It has been planted in more than 2
million ha around the world, which is nearly a quarter of the total planted area of all
Acacias (7). Productivity of plantations depends strongly on soil nutrient supply and it
may be flexible under the influence of management practices and species. Thus,
determining the plants’ nutritional requirements and behavior to such nutrients is
essential in growing species in the nursery.
2.1 Mineral contents of Acacia mangium Willd underdefoliation conditions (T. Clavero,
E. Miquelena y A. Rodríguez-Petit) 2001

The first study would like to determine the necessary management practice of defoliation
of Acacia mangium in relation to mineral nutrients of the leaves at different height and
different frequencies. Factors considered in the study were 3 frequencies (6, 9 and 12
weeks) and 3 defoliation heights (50, 75 and 100 cm measured from the soil).
Based on the Table 1. The concentration of these elements decreased as increasing the
cutting frequency, for cutting heights studied (1). The result of the study adhered to the
findings of Kunhamu el. Al, 2008 (3) that defoliation of the lateral shoots at low stem
densities may simulate this to some extent.

Defoliation means the actual loss of foliage on a tree (2). The distribution pattern of K, Mn and Zn were
similar in this tree legume. Highest concentrations were usually found in young leaves at lowest at the base of the
stems. As the plant advanced in maturity the K, Mn and Zn contents of Acacia decreased.

Frequency of harvest significantly affected the levels of Ca, Mg, P and Na (see Figure 2).
This could be due to a rapid uptake of minerals by Acacia during the early stages of
growth with a relative slow production of dry matter. With advancing maturity,
photosynthetic areas begin to increase, the dry matter content of this legume generally
increase more rapidly than mineral uptake causing due to a natural dilution process,
mineral contents decline (4) or it depends on trade-offs between stem density and tree
management over time (3).

The study, did not discussed the process of defoliation process conducted, there are
limited information that can be generated in the study. And the limited information
discussed can be use to manage the practice of defoliation or trimming. Aside from that
the study committed lots of grammatical errors.

2.2 Ecological Impact on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling of a Widespread Fast-

growing Leguminous Tropical Forest Plantation Tree Species, Acacia mangium
(Inagaki and Ishizuka) 2011.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 show that the N and P concentrations of the A. mangium fresh
leaves were higher than those of the other two species, whereas the P concentration in the
leaf-litterfall of A. mangium was less than half that of the others; in contrast the N
concentration was higher. The N:P ratio in the A. mangium leaf was markedly increased
from fresh-leaf with 29 to leaf-litterfall with 81. Although the N flux in the total litterfall
at the A. mangium plantation was large, the fine-root ingrowth of A. mangium
significantly increased by applying both N and P (5).
The study conforms to the result of studies like Combalicer et. al. (2011) (9) that A.
mangium showed better performance in the field which serves as a basis in
recommending them for reforestation in the Philippines, to the study of Norisada, M;
Hitsuma, G; Kuroda, K; Yamanoshita, T; Et al (6) that concluded that the moderated
microclimate under the A. mangium canopy is thought to be responsible for the improved
growth of the dipterocarp seedlings. If dipterocarp seedlings are planted after A.
mangium grows enough to provide shade, initial survival rates should improve.

Other applicability aside from being the nurse tree, for production and ecological
purposes it is a very important part of the pallets of species for urban greening not only
because it is very versatile but helps a lot in improving the below ground environment of
the urban areas which are usually degraded, unfertile, compacted, dry and acidic (7)
2.3
The AGB values of all stands in this study were significantly different (P = 0.001) among each other.
The observed AGB values in the 20-year-old stands of A. auriculiformis, A. mangium and P. indicus
(149.25 to 204.21 tons ha-1) were comparable with the findings of Brown and Lugo (1992) (8).
Nutrient availability is one of the key factors which control forest plantation growth and which can
also be modified by management through processes, such as fertilizer application or fire. The
quantities of nutrients required and utilized by forests differ between the species, between their
productivity, and the stage of stand development represented by age or stage of maturity (10).
The highest nitrogen productivity (increase in plant dry mass per unit plant N per unit time) was
shown by the 20-year-old A. auriculiformis (267.23 kg kg-1 yr-1) followed by the 20-yr-old A. mangium
(221.72 kg kg-1 yr-1) (9).
According to Jandle et al. in 2007 (11), this increase could be a consequence of the enriching effect of
N deposition, rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere, and changes in forest-management practices.
Introduction of N-fixing species into plantations could enhance both litter quality and quantity (12)
and increase above and belowground productivity (13)

3.1 Conclusion
Study showed that concentrations of certain minerals in Acacia mangium could be
affected by defoliation management practices.

Large quantities of N were accumulated and returned to the forest floor in A. mangium
plantation, while its P resorption capacity was efficient. Such large N cycling and
restricted P cycling in wide areas of monoculture A. mangium plantations may alter N
and P cycling and their balance in the organic layer and soil on a stand level.

A. mangium showed better performance in the field which serves as a basis in

recommending them for reforestation in the Philippines. This species are very important
in the initial establishment of the plantation and could be considered as priority species to
lessen the vast degraded areas in the country.
References
1. Inagaki and Ishizuka, 2011. Ecological Impact on Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Cycling of a Widespread Fast-growing Leguminous Tropical Forest Plantation
Tree Species, Acacia mangium.
2. Burley et. al., 2004. Encyclopedia of Forest Science.
3. Springer Science, 2004. Root activity of young Acacia mangium Willd trees:
influence of stand density and pruning as studied.
4. Spears, 1994. Minerals in forages. In: Fahey, G. (Ed.). Forage Quality and
Utilization. American Society of Agronomy. USA. pp. 281-318.
5. Masahiro and Shigehiro, 2011. Ecological Impact on Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Cycling of a Widespread Fast-growing Leguminous Tropical Forest Plantation
Tree Species, Acacia mangium. Retrived at www.mdpi.com/journal/diversity on
Feb 16, 2012.
6. Hitsuma et. al., 2005. Acacia Mangium, a Nurse Tree Candidate for
Reforestation on Degraded Sandy Soils in the Malay Peninsula.
7. Palijon 1998, Manual in Urban Forestry.
8. FAO. Global Planted Forests Thematic Study: Results and Analysis; FAO: Rome,
Italy, 2006; p. 168.
9. Combalicer et. al. 2011. Aboveground biomass and productivity of nitrogen-
fixing tree species in the Philippines.
10. Turner and Lambert, 2008. Nutrient cycling in age sequences of two Eucalyptus
plantation species. For. Ecol. Manage., 255: 1701-1712.
11. Jandle et al., 2007. Productivity increase in northern Austria Norway spruce
forests due to changes in nitrogen cycling and climate. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sc., 170:
157-165
12. He et al., 1997. Role of nitrogen-fixing trees in mixed forest. I. Nitrogen fixation
and tree growth of mixed stand with Hippophae rhamnoides. Chin. J. Appl. Ecol.,
7: 354-358.
13. Liu, 2000. Effects of seabuckthorn on tree growth and biomass production of
poplar plantations in a sub-humid-arid area of China. Acta Phytoecol. Sin., 24:
169-174.