Sustainable site productivity and nutrient management in a short rotation plantation of Gmelina arborea in East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) requires information on plant growth and nutrient dynamics in forest ecosystems. To obtain fundamental information for SFM in short-rotation plantations in tropical regions, a serial study was conducted on: (i) land use changes and effects on soil chemical properties in tropical forestland, (ii) site index and nutrient dynamics in Gmelina arborea Roxb. (yemane), (iii) stand age and nutrient cycles in the first rotation of a yemane plantation on a moderately productive site, and (iv) biomass and N^sub 2^-fixation of legume cover crops (LCC) for soil amelioration. Land use change from natural stands to plantations was linked to a decrease in electric conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), total carbon (T-C), carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio) and exchangeable ca. Three sites classified by productivity (poor, moderate and good) were examined using annual inventory data from 3 to 4% sampling intensity of yemane plantations in the Sebulu site, PT Sumalindo Lestari Jaya. The growth of yemane was very rapid during the first 6 years and was strongly influenced by site quality. The differences in average stand height between the site classes at 6 years were 3m, representing stand volume differences of approximately 40m^sup 3^ha^sup -1^. Whole-tree harvesting removed 50% of the aboveground biomass and nutrients. The good site had greater amounts of total phosphorus (T-P), total calcium (T-Ca), total magnesium (T-Mg), available P, and exchangeable Ca and Mg in the soil than moderate and poor sites. There were no significant differences in nutrient amounts in the soil at different stand ages (4, 6 and 8 years of age). The effects of site class on the topsoil characteristics were greater than those for land use change and stand age. Yemane plantations in tropical regions are supported more by nutrient cycling rate than by the amount of nutrient availability in soil. Nitrogen and phosphorus were the limiting nutrients for yemane growth and regeneration in East Kalimantan. Legumes can promote sustainable site productivities in short-rotation plantations in tropical forests by supplying N to the soil through N^sub 2^-fixation and organic matter. Annual N^sub 2^-fixation from the atmosphere by LCC was 10-60kgNha^sup -1^yr^sup -1^. Application of fertilizer needs to be considered for development of yemane on very poor soils. Palabras clave: Cambios del use de la tierra, Cultivos de leguminosas, Plantación de corta rotación,