Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T05:38:25.619Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Studies on Acacia mangium in Kemasul Forest, Malaysia. I. Biomass and productivity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Lim Meng Tsai
Affiliation:
Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia is establishing large-scale plantations for reforestation and the production of wood for pulp and paper as well as for light construction. The main species used currently is the exotic legume Acacia mangium. The above-ground biomass, litter production and litter accumulation in a four-year-old stand in Peninsular Malaysia were studied. The mean diameter at breast height (dbh) was 12 cm. The mean annual increment (MAI) in dbh of individual trees ranged from 0.9 to 5.1 cm while MAI in height of sample trees ranged from 2.9 to 5.5 m. The total above-ground biomass of the stand was 90.4 t ha−1, consisting of 57.6 t stem, 14.1 t branch and 5.4 t leaf. Litter production averaged 10.23 t ha−1 yr−1 with leaf litter making up 87.4% of the total. Leaf litter accumulation amounted to 6.64 t ha−1 and the turnover constant of leaf litter was estimated at 1.35. The high productivity is discussed in relation to the high turnover of foliage and the low turnover of litter.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

LITERATURE CITED

Chijioke, E. O. 1980. Impact on soils of fast growing species in Lowland humid tropics. FAO forestry Paper No. 21, FAO, Rome.Google Scholar
De Angelis, D. L., Gardner, R. H. & Shugart, H. H. 1981. Productivity of forest ecosystems studied during the IBP: the woodland data set. Pp. 567–672 in Reichle, D. E. (ed.). Dynamic Properties of Ecosystems.Google Scholar
Debell, D. S., Wktesell, C. D. & Schubert, T. H. 1985. Mixed plantations of Eucalyptus and leguminous trees enhance biomass production. USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station Res. Paper No. PSW-175, 6 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frederick, D. J., Madgwick, H. A. L., Jurgensen, M. F. & Oliver, G. R. 1985a. Dry matter energy and nutrient contents of 8-year-old stands of Eucalyptus regnans, Acacia dealbata and Pinus radiata in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science 15:142157.Google Scholar
Frederick, D. J., Madgwick, H. A. I., Jurgensen, M. F. & Oliver, G. R. 1985b. Dry matter content and nutrient distribution in an age series of Eucalyptus regnans plantation in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science 15:158179.Google Scholar
Frederick, D. J., Madgwick, H. A. L., Oliver, G. R. & Jurgensen, M. F. 1985c. Dry matter and nutnent content of 8-year-old Eucalyptus saligna growing at Taheke Forest. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science 15:251254.Google Scholar
Kawahara, T., Kanazawa, Y. & Sakurai, S. 1981. Biomass and net production of man-made forests in the Philippines. Journal of the Japanese Forestry Society 63:320327.Google Scholar
Kira, T. 1975. Primary production of forests. Pp. 440 in Cooper, J. P. (ed.). Photosynthesis and productivity in different environments. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Lahiri, A. K. 1984. Note on Acacia mangium on a lateritic tract of West Bengal. Nitrogen Fixing Tree Research Reports 2:4.Google Scholar
Latif, M. A., Khan, S. A. & Bhuiyan, M. K. 1985. Prospects of Acacia mangium for afforestation in Bangladesh. Pakistan Journal of Forestry 35:712.Google Scholar
Lee, H. S. 1981. The ecological effects of shifting cultivation on tropical forest ecosystems and their significance on reforestation and rehabilitation efforts in Sarawak. Sarawak Forest Dept. Forest Research Report No. S.R. 22. 36 pp.Google Scholar
Liew, T. C. 1984. Present state of knowledge and research priorities of the forest plantations in Sabah. Proceedings of Seminar on Development of Forest Plantations in Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu/Kundasang, Sabah. pp. 8398.Google Scholar
Lim, M. T. 1986a. Biomass and biomass relationship of 3.5 year-old open-grown Acacia mangtum. Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Occasional Paper No. 2. 13 pp.Google Scholar
Lim, M. T. 1986b. Biomass and productivity of 4.5 year-old Acacia mangium in Sarawak. Pertanika 9:8187.Google Scholar
Madgewick, H. A. L., Beets, P. & Gallagher, S. 1981. Dry matter accumulation, nutrient and energy content of the above-ground portion of 4-year-old stands of Eucalyptus nitens and E. fastigata. New Zealand Journal of Forest Science 11:5359.Google Scholar
Madgwick, H. A. I. & Oliver, G. R. 1985. Dry matter content and production of close-spaced Pinus radiata. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science 15:135141.Google Scholar
NRC, 1983. Mangium and other fast-growing Acacias for the humid tropics. National Academy Press, Washington, DCGoogle Scholar
Ogawa, H. 1978. Litter production and carbon cycling in Pasoh Forest. Malayan Nature Journal 30:367373.Google Scholar
Proctor, J. 1984. Tropical forest litterfall. II. The data set. Tropical Rain Forest: Ecology and Management, Supplementary Volume (Ed. by Chad wick, A. C. and Sutton, S. L.). Proceedings of the Leeds Symposium, pp. 83113.Google Scholar
Tan, K. C. & Jones, N. 1982. Fast growing hardwood plantations on logged-over forest sites in Sabah. Paper presented at the Eighth Malaysian Forestry Conference, Sandakan, Sabah. 26 pp.Google Scholar
Templeton, J. K. 1968. Growth studies in Hevea brasiliensts. I. Growth analysis up to seven years after budgrafting. Journal of the Rubber Research Institute of Malaya 20:136146.Google Scholar
Tham, C. K. 1976. Introduction of plantation species Acacia mangtum willd. Paper presented at the sixth Malaysian Forestry Conference, Kuching. 6 pp.Google Scholar
UNESCO, 1978. Tropical forest ecosystems. Unesco, Pans. 683 pp.Google Scholar
Yong, C. T. 1984. Compensatory plantation project. Proceedings of Seminar on Development of Forest Plantations in Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu/Kundasang, Sabah. pp. 3544.Google Scholar