Tree growth on degraded soils at Barora, Solomon Islands
1988
Cheatle, R.J. (Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Dodo Creek Research Station, Honiara (Solomon Islands))
Paired-plot experiments were established in 1981 on six classes of degraded soil and uncleared areas on a heavy clay soil. The soil had been degraded by the crawler-tractor methods used in logging the primary forest. An assessment of the growth and survival of Gmelina arborea and Terminalia brassii was made seven years after the initial establishment of the plots in 1981. Due to tree fall on the site, the data from the "uncleared" plots was unsatisfactory. The basal area of trees on trafficked land was about half that of the 'least disturbed' soil class. Survival was also poor on trafficked land. G. arborea performed better than T. brassii. Field pedological investigations and bulk density measurements were found to be useful in identifying sites of poor and better growth. The physical and chemical status was established for a representative profile under primary forest and for the experimental plots. A comparison of degraded areas with the baseline profile suggested that the fertility status had been reduced, and that there were few signs of soil recovery in the plots after seven years.
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