Soil fertility changes following conversion of grassland to oil palm
P. N. Nelson A D , M. Banabas B , S. Nake B , I. Goodrick A , M. J. Webb C and E. Gabriel AA Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia.
B Papua New Guinea Oil Palm Research Association, PO Box 97, Kimbe, Papua New Guinea.
C CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, ATSIP Building, James Cook University, Douglas, Qld 4811, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: paul.nelson@jcu.edu.au
Soil Research 52(7) 698-705 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR14049
Submitted: 27 February 2014 Accepted: 19 June 2014 Published: 10 October 2014
Abstract
Impacts of palm oil industry expansion on biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions might be mitigated if future plantings replace grassland rather than forest. However, the trajectory of soil fertility following planting of oil palm on grasslands is unknown. We assessed the changes in fertility of sandy volcanic ash soils (0–0.15 m depth) in the first 25 years following conversion of grassland to oil palm in smallholder blocks in Papua New Guinea, using a paired-site approach (nine sites). There were significant decreases in soil pH (from pH 6.1 to 5.7) and exchangeable magnesium (Mg) content following conversion to oil palm but no significant change in soil carbon (C) contents. Analyses to 1.5 m depth at three sites indicated little change in soil properties below 0.5 m. There was considerable variability between sites, despite them being in a similar landscape and having similar profile morphology. Soil Colwell phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium (K) contents decreased under oil palm at sites with initially high contents of C, nitrogen, Colwell P and exchangeable cations. We also assessed differences in soil fertility between soil under oil palm (established after clearing forest) and adjacent forest at two sites. At those sites, there was significantly lower soil bulk density, cation exchange capacity and exchangeable calcium, Mg and K under oil palm, but the differences may have been due to less clayey texture at the oil palm sites than the forest sites. Cultivation of oil palm maintained soil structure and fertility in the desirable range, indicating that it is a sustainable endeavour in this environment.
Additional keywords: exchangeable cations, land-use effects on soil, Papua New Guinea, soil acidification, soil degradation, sustainability.
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