Organic residue mass at planting is an excellent predictor of tree growth in Eucalyptus plantations established on a sandy tropical soil

Characterization, agricultural potential, and perspectives for the management of light soils in Brazil

“…The sustainability of planted forests in light soils can be increased by the management of crop residues or by the establishment of mixed plantings, which favor interactions such as biological N 2 fixation, nutrient cycling, or changes in C allocation. Biomass production of eucalyptus and soil quality are directly related to the residue mass left after harvest (Chaer & Totola, 2007;Laclau et al, 2010). Similarly, mixed systems (with the inclusion of species associated with diazotrophic bacteria) are able to increase the net biomass production of forest sites and, at the same time, enhance the ecological interactions between species (Forrester et al, 2006;Coelho et al, 2007;Balieiro et al, 2008b;Laclau et al, 2008;Rachid et al, 2015); however, the selection of species and the arrangement of production systems must be well planned.…”

Applying Sewage Sludge toEucalyptus grandisPlantations: Effects on Biomass Production and Nutrient Cycling through Litterfall

“…Risks associated with sludge application in forest plantations are lower than in agriculture, since tropical Eucalyptus plantations are usually managed to produce fire wood, charcoal, boards, or pulp and paper, and the final product (wood biomass) is not incorporated into the human food chain. Moreover, environmental impacts of sewage sludge applications in forest plantations are usually much lower than in agriculture since doses required to meet tree nutrient requirements are low [4]. Sludge applications are only required the first year of the rotation (every 6 to 7 years), whereas doses of the same order of magnitude may be applied annually for agricultural crops.…”

Decomposition of <i>Eucalyptus sp.</i> and <i>Pinus taeda</i> Harvest Residues under Controlled Temperature and Moisture Conditions

“…This vegetation change is likely to produce changes in soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics, given the differences in plant residue turnover (Shammas et al, 2003;Laclau et al, 2010). Following harvest, a large percentage of aerial biomass (leaves, bark and twigs) remaining on the site undergoes decomposition at an intensity that varies according to the intrinsic parameters (residue size, proportions of compounds with a higher and lower degradation resistance), the diversity of existing organisms in the particular soil, and climatic conditions such as temperature and moisture.…”