Soil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorFey, Martin Ven_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSugarman, David Ren_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-12-03T03:31:12Z
dc.date.available2014-12-03T03:31:12Z
dc.date.issued1999en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: leaves 71-78.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractIt is widely accepted that afforestation adversely affects soil chemical properties. A significant decrease in pH, base cation status and acid neutralising capacity (ANC), coupled with increasing acidity have been observed to occur in acid coniferous forest soils both in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. International and local studies in Southern Africa have observed declining productivity over successive rotations in pine plantations. Increasing acidity loads in the Northern Hemisphere and their adverse effects on forest health have generated a search for chemical indices that would assist in pursuing thresholds beyond which forest vitality is damaged. A common and widely used chemical index is the Ca/Al ratio. The most common parameter adopted is the Ca/Al molar ratio in soil solutions. Recent studies in Southern Africa (Swaziland. Kwazulu-Natal) and in the Sabie area (Eastern Escarpment) have indicated that some forest compartments (Pinus sp.) may experience Ca/Al molar ratios dropping below unity. The value of unity is widely used and proposed as a threshold beyond which tree vitality may be adversely affected. This study was conducted to determine the state of surface (0-20cm) soils underlying pine plantations of different ages in the Sabie area on the Eastern Escarpment of Southern Africa. The pine plantations were selected in areas overlying a uniform bedrock (shale), high attitude, high rainfall, north facing aspect and confined to 3 pine species (P. elliottii, P. patuia and P. taeda). A composite sample was taken from each of 22 forest compartments varying in age (between 22 and 67 years) and rotation (first, second and third). In addition, the results of previous investigations of forest soils in the Eastern Escarpment region were considered in order to expand the array of forest compartment ages and the size of the overall data set used for statistical analysis, so that comparisons could be made.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationSugarman, D. R. (1999). <i>Soil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Geological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9880en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSugarman, David R. <i>"Soil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Geological Sciences, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9880en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSugarman, D. 1999. Soil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africa. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Sugarman, David R AB - It is widely accepted that afforestation adversely affects soil chemical properties. A significant decrease in pH, base cation status and acid neutralising capacity (ANC), coupled with increasing acidity have been observed to occur in acid coniferous forest soils both in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. International and local studies in Southern Africa have observed declining productivity over successive rotations in pine plantations. Increasing acidity loads in the Northern Hemisphere and their adverse effects on forest health have generated a search for chemical indices that would assist in pursuing thresholds beyond which forest vitality is damaged. A common and widely used chemical index is the Ca/Al ratio. The most common parameter adopted is the Ca/Al molar ratio in soil solutions. Recent studies in Southern Africa (Swaziland. Kwazulu-Natal) and in the Sabie area (Eastern Escarpment) have indicated that some forest compartments (Pinus sp.) may experience Ca/Al molar ratios dropping below unity. The value of unity is widely used and proposed as a threshold beyond which tree vitality may be adversely affected. This study was conducted to determine the state of surface (0-20cm) soils underlying pine plantations of different ages in the Sabie area on the Eastern Escarpment of Southern Africa. The pine plantations were selected in areas overlying a uniform bedrock (shale), high attitude, high rainfall, north facing aspect and confined to 3 pine species (P. elliottii, P. patuia and P. taeda). A composite sample was taken from each of 22 forest compartments varying in age (between 22 and 67 years) and rotation (first, second and third). In addition, the results of previous investigations of forest soils in the Eastern Escarpment region were considered in order to expand the array of forest compartment ages and the size of the overall data set used for statistical analysis, so that comparisons could be made. DA - 1999 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1999 T1 - Soil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africa TI - Soil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9880 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/9880
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSugarman DR. Soil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Geological Sciences, 1999 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9880en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Geological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherEnvironmental Geochemistryen_ZA
dc.titleSoil chemical properties in pine plantations of different ages in the Eastern Escarpement region of South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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