Effect of Eucalyptus Plantation on Soil Properties at Wang Nam Khiao Forestry Student Training Station, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

The study examined the effect of Eucalyptus plantation on the soil properties at the Wang Nam Khiao Forestry Student Training Station, Wang Nam Khiao district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. The study was conducted in sample plots of 6-year-old Eucalyptus plantation and 2-year-old coppiced Eucalyptus plantation and was compared with a natural forest and a grassland. The results showed that physical properties such as soil texture, bulk density, particle density, soil porosity and soil moisture were not significantly different but bulk density was significantly different within the top soil of the Eucalyptus plantation and grassland, being higher than on the other sites. Chemical properties such as pH, total carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable calcium and exchangeable magnesium in all sites were not significantly different. Organic matter in each plot was significantly different, with coppiced Eucalyptus plantation giving the highest value. Soil microbes such as bacteria, mold, actinomycetes and spores of mycorrhiza in the study area were insignificantly different among the sites. The survival rate of Xylia xylocarpa seedlings with soils from Eucalyptus plantation, natural forest and grassland produced no significantly different results, however survival rate, diameter at ground level and height of Xylia xylocarpa seedlings in soil from the Eucalyptus plantation were each higher than for the other sites because of soil physical and chemical properties, pH and organic matter.

Keywords: Eucalyptus plantation, soil properties, soil microbes survival rate