UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA ASSESSMENT OF SOIL FERTILITY STATUS IN DIFFERENT ISOLATED LAND USE TYPES MOHAMMAD NAZRIN BIN ABDUL MALIK FH 2015 2 M P ASSESSMENT OF SOIL FERTILITY STATUS IN DIFFERENT ISOLATUED LAND USE TYPES T H G I R By MOHAMMAD NAZRIN BIN ABDUL MALIK Y P O C © Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia,In Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science September 2015 M P U T H G I R Y P O C © All material contained within the thesis, including without limitation text, logos, icons, photographs and all other artwork, is copyright material of Universiti Putra Malaysia unless otherwise stated. Use may be made of any material M contained within the thesis for non-commercial purposes from the copyright holder. Commercial use of material may only be made with the express, prior, written permission of Universiti Putra Malaysia. P Copyright © Universiti Putra Malaysia U T H G I R Y P O C © i M P U T H G I R Y P O C © Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science M ASSESSMENT OF SOIL FERTILITY STATUS IN DIFFERENT ISOLATED LAND USE TYPES P By U MOHAMMAD NAZRIN BIN ABDUL MALIK September 2015 T Chairman : Arifin Abdu, PhD H Faculty : Forestry Information on soil properties in different land uses is vital for the G understanding of ecological information as a useful tool and guideline for further management and practices for soil management, since plants can absorb and utilize only a portion of the total nutrient content in soil. However, many doubts remain concerning thIe method of evaluating the success of human activities in restoring degraded land for sustaining soil fertility and R productivity. Most of the available soil indices worldwide apply only to temperate soil. Hence, there is a need for suitable indices to quantify the quality of degraded land in the tropics. Soil Fertility Index and Soil Evaluation Y Factor as a tool in determining soil fertility status among the sites (forest plantation, oil palm plantation, secondary forest and pasture area) could provide crucial information regarding the current status of the soils and P interpreted soil condition as a basic factor for recommending fertilizer application and soil management. O This study is divided into three chapters, corresponding to the following objectives: (1) to characterize the soil properties in five different land uses (forest plantation, Pinus caribaea and Swietenia macrophylla; secondary forest (SCISFEC); oil palm plantation; and pasture area); (2) to determine soil fertility status using soil fertility index (SFI) and soil evaluation factor (SEF) of three different sites: Pinus caribaea plantation, Swietenia macrophylla plantation, and pasture area, including the analysis of the growth performance between Pinus caribaea and Swietenia macrophylla planted in the rehabilitated degraded land; © and (3) to assess the soil fertility status using SFI and SEF of two different lands uses, secondary forest and oil palm plantation. This study was conducted under forest plantation (Pinus caribaea and Swietenia macrophylla), secondary forest (SISFEC), oil palm plantation, and pasture area at Universiti Putra Malaysia's Serdang Campus in Selangor, Malaysia. To address the first objective, soil profiles were dug up to 100 cm depth and 50 cm width. Next, the soil was sampled according to soil horizons, and soil morphology was determined using field technique. To address the second i objective, composite samples were collected within the six study plots (20x20 m) at Pinus caribaea plantation, Swietenia macrophylla plantation and pasture area at depths of 0-20 cm (surface soil) and 20-40 cm (subsurface soil). For the M third objective, soils were sampled at depths of 0-20 cm (surface soil) and 20- 40 cm (subsurface soil) in six plots (20x20 m) in the secondary forest and oil palm plantation plot. The samples were air-dried, homogenized and sieved to pass a 2-mm mesh sieve for further analysis. Laboratory analyses included P physico-chemical properties, sesquioxides content, charge characteristic, and mineralogical properties. Soil fertility status was evaluated using two indices, Soil Fertility Index and Soil Evaluation Factor. Data were analyzed using U Statistical Package Social Science (SPSS) version 20. Results obtained for the first objective found A horizon in all of the soil profiles. The soil color for all profiles ranged from reddish brown to dark brown T (surface), which resulted from the decomposition of organic matter. The soils of all profiles were acidic, ranging from 3.6 to 5.2 in their acidity, with acidity levels increasing with depth. Cation exchange capacity and total carbon tended to H decrease with depth, and higher in the secondary forest and pine plantation than in mahogany plantation, oil palm plantation and pasture area. Exchangeable K, Ca and Mg were higher in the topsoil than in the subsoil for G most profiles. Exchangeable Al increased with depth and available P in the soil ranged from 0.72 to 1.98 mg/kg. The Alo, Ald, Feo and Fed increased with depth in all profiles. The clay mineral composition was dominated by 1:1 type kaolin minerals. The point zero of salt effeIct values tended to increase, while the σp values decreased with depth at all sites, indicating that the soils are R highly weathered. The assessment for the second objective found no significant differences Y (p<0.05) in the bulk density of the soils in the Pinus caribaea and pasture plots. In contrast, the topsoil of Swietenia macrophylla plots possessed lower bulk density (p<0.05) compared to the other plots. The pasture plot had higher P (p<0.05) moisture content compared to that of Swietenia macrophylla and Pinus caribaea plots for both soil depths. The soils at the three experimental sites were slightly acidic, with pH ranging from 4.12 to 5.09 in the topsoil and O 4.27 to 4.92 in the subsoil. Organic matter was found to be significantly higher (p<0.05) in the pasture than in Swietenia macrophylla and Pinus caribaea plots. Pinus caribaea plots showed significantly higher (p<0.05) level of total carbonC at both soil depths compared to the other study plots. Exchangeable Ca, Mg and K were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the topsoil of Pinus caribaea compared to the other plots. Cation exchange capacity and effective cation exchange capacity of the soils were low. PCA results indicated that soil texture, © OM, TC, TN, nutrient content and cation exchange capacity had a strong positive relationship, which explains the higher SFI value in the nutrients in the soil especially the topsoil in Pinus caribaea than the other study plots. In contrast, pasture plot had higher SEF, followed by Pinus caribaea and Swietenia macrophylla plantation plots. The results for the third objective showed that clay composition was the highest in the oil palm plantation for both surface and subsurface soil. The pH value in surface and subsurface soil for oil palm plantation is higher than in secondary forest. Soil in oil palm plantation exhibited higher organic matter content ii compared to secondary forest. The total carbon and nitrogen were higher in the oil palm plantation at surface soil. The cation exchange capacity was highest in the oil palm plantation for both surface and subsurface soils. The exchangeable M Ca, Mg, K were higher in the oil palm plantation for surface and subsurface soil. Exchangeable Al for surface soil was also higher in the oil palm plantation. The value of Soil Fertility Index was higher than Soil Evaluation Factor value for both depths in the oil palm plantation compared to secondary forest. P In conclusion, all of the soils (forest plantation, Pinus caribaea and Swietenia macrophylla; secondary forest (SISFEC); oil palm plantation; and pasture area) U were very acidic, highly weathered and considered poor in soil nutrient content, which exhibited Ultisols and Oxisols characteristic. The physico-chemical properties were the main factor that contributed to nutrient resources and soil fertility. The soil fertility status of the Pinus caribaea plantation was superior to that of the Swietenia macrophylla plantation and pasture areaT, which indicated that forest plantation is a proper technique for rehabilitating and replenishing soil fertility of degraded land. Soil fertility was affected by the types of crops or H trees that grow in the soil, as their characteristics affect their nutrient uptake. The oil palm plantation soil showed the highest Soil Fertility Index value compared to secondary forests. Moreover, soil fertility was affected by different G types of soil management, parent materials, and climatic conditions. I R Y P O C © iii Abstrak thesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia sebagai memenuhi keperluan untuk Ijazah Master Sains PENILAIAN STATUS TANAH KESUBURAN BERBEZA JENIS KEGUNAAN M TANAH TERPENCIL Oleh P MOHAMMAD NAZRIN BIN ABDUL MALIK U September 2015 Pengerusi : Arifin Abdu, PhD T Fakulti : Perhutanan H Maklumat tentang ciri tanah di bawah tanah yang berlainan adalah penting untuk memahami maklumat ekologi sebagai alat yang berguna dan garis panduan bagi pengurusan dan amalan lain bagi pengurusan tanah kerana G tumbuh-tumbuhan boleh menyerap dan menggunakan hanya sebahagian daripada kandungan nutrien di dalam tanah. Walau bagaimanapun, banyak keraguan kekal mengenai bagaimana untuk menilai tahap kejayaan aktiviti manusia dalam mengembalikan tanaIh yang bergred rendah untuk mengekalkan kesuburan tanah dan produktiviti. Kebanyakan indeks tanah di R dunia adalah nikmat yang terdapat di tanah beriklim sederhana. Oleh itu, terdapat keperluan untuk indeks yang sesuai untuk mengukur kualiti tanah yang telah didegradasi di kawasan tropika. Indeks Kesuburan Tanah dan Y Faktor Penilaian Tanah sebagai alat dalam penentuan status kesuburan tanah di antara tapak (ladang hutan, ladang kelapa sawit, hutan sekunder dan kawasan padang rumput) boleh memberi maklumat asas mengenai status P semasa tanah dan keadaan tanah ditafsirkan sebagai asas untuk mengesyorkan penggunaan baja dan pengurusan tanah. O Kajian ini dibahagikan kepada tiga bab yang sepadan dengan objektif-objektif berikut: (1) untuk mencirikan sifat-sifat tanah lima kegunaan tanah yang berbeza (ladang hutan (Pinus caribaea dan Swetienia macrophylla), hutan sekundCer (SISFEC), ladang kelapa sawit, dan kawasan padang rumput, (2) untuk menentukan status kesuburan tanah dengan menggunakan indeks kesuburan tanah (SFI) dan faktor penilaian tanah (SEF) daripada tiga lokasi berbeza ladangPinus caribaea, ladangSwietenia macrophylla, dan kawasan padang rumput. (3) untuk menilai status kesuburan tanah menggunakan SFI © dan SEF dua tanah yang berbeza menggunakan kajian hutan sekunder dan ladang kelapa sawit. Kajian ini telah dijalankan di bawah hutan perladangan (Pinus caribaea dan Swetienia macrophylla), hutan sekunder (SISFEC), ladang kelapa sawit, dan kawasan padang rumput di Universiti Putra Malaysia Kampus Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Untuk menangani objektif pertama, profil tanah telah digali untuk kedalaman 100 cm dan 50 cm lebar. Seterusnya tanah telah disampel mengikut ufuk tanah. Morfologi tanah telah ditentukan dengan menggunakan teknik lapangan. iv Untuk menangani objektif kedua, sampel komposit telah dikumpul dalam tempoh enam plot kajian (20x20 m) di ladang Pinus caribaea, ladangSwetienia macrophylla dan kawasan padang rumput pada kedalaman 0-20 cm (tanah M permukaan) dan 20-40 cm (tanah sub-permukaan) kedalaman. Bagi objektif ketiga, tanah telah disampel pada kedalaman 0-20 cm (tanah permukaan) dan 20-40 cm (tanah sub-permukaan) di enam plot (20x20 m) hutan sekunder dan plot ladang kelapa sawit. Sampel adalah udara-kering, homogenized dan P disaring untuk lulus jaringan penuras 2 mm untuk analisis lanjut. Makmal analisis kesedaran meliputi sifat fiziko-kimia, kandungan sesquioxides, caj ciri dan sifat-sifat mineralogi. Status kesuburan tanah telah dinilai menggunakan U dua indeks; iaitu Indeks Kesuburan Tanah dan Faktor Penilaian Tanah. Data dianalisis dengan menggunakan Pakej Statistik Sains Sosial (SPSS) versi 20. Keputusan yang diperolehi bagi objektif pertama menunjukkan horizan A didapati dalam semua profil tanah. Warna tanah untuk semTua profil adalah antara coklat kemerahan ke coklat gelap (permukaan) disebabkan oleh penguraian bahan organik. Tanah daripada semua profil adalah berasid antara H 3,6-5,2 dan nilai keasidan meningkat dengan kedalaman. Kapasiti pertukaran kation dan jumlah karbon cenderung berkurang dengan kedalaman dan lebih tinggi di dalam hutan dan pain perladangan menengah berbanding perladangan mahogani, perladangan kelapaG sawit dan kawasan padang rumput. Kation tukar ganti K, Ca dan Mg adalah lebih tinggi dalam tanah atas daripada di tanah bawah bagi kebanyakan profil. Kation tukar ganti Al meningkat dengan mendalam dan boIleh didapati P dalam tanah adalah antara 0,72-1,98 mg / kg. Kadar Alo, Ald, FeO dan Fed meningkatkan dengan R mendalam dalam semua profil. Komposisi mineral tanah liat dikuasai oleh 1: 1 jenis mineral kaolin. Titik sifar nilai kesan garam cenderung meningkat, manakala nilai σp menurun dengan mendalam di semua tapak, yang Y menunjukkan bahawa tanah adalah sangat terluluhawa. Penilaian objektif untuk kedua menunjukkan ketumpatan pukal tanah diplotPinus caribaePa dan padang rumput tidak menunjukkan perbezaan yang signifikan (p <0.05). Sebaliknya, tanah atas plot Swietenia macrophylla mempunyai ketumpatan pukal yang lebih rendah (p <0.05) berbanding dengan O plot lain. Plot mempunyai padang yang lebih tinggi (p <0.05) kandungan lembapan berbanding dengan plot Swietenia macrophylla dan Pinus caribaea untuk kedua-dua tanah depths.The tanah di tiga tapak eksperimen adalah seCdikit berasid dengan pH antara 4,12-5,09 dalam lapisan tanah atas dan 4.27 untuk 4.92 dalam tanah bawah. Bahan organik didapati lebih tinggi (p <0.05) di padang berbanding dengan yang di plotSwietenia macrophylla dan Pinus caribaea. Pinus caribaea menunjukkan plot (p <0.05) tahap jauh lebih tinggi daripada jumlah karbon di kedua-dua kedalaman tanah berbanding dengan © plot kajian lain. Kadar tukar ganti Ca, Mg dan K adalah lebih tinggi (p <0.05) dalam tanah atas Pinus caribaea berbanding plot lain. Kapasiti pertukaran kation dan kapasiti pertukaran kation berkesan tanah adalah rendah. Keputusan PCA menunjukkan bahawa tekstur tanah, OM, TC, TN, kandungan nutrien dan keupayaan pertukaran kation mempunyai hubungan positif yang kuat yang menjelaskan bahawa nutrien dalam tanah disimpan di dalam tanah Pinus caribaea menunjukkan nilai SFI yang lebih tinggi berbanding dengan plot kajian lain, terutamanya untuk tanah atas. Sebaliknya, padang rumput plot v