Production and carbon allocation in monocultures and mixed-species plantations of Eucalyptus grandis and Acacia mangium in Brazil.

Introducing nitrogen-fixing tree species in fast-growing eucalypt plantations has the potential to improve soil nitrogen availability compared with eucalypt monocultures. Whether or not the changes in soil nutrient status and stand structure will lead to mixtures that out-yield monocultures depends on the balance between positive interactions and the negative effects of interspecific competition, and on their effect on carbon (C) uptake and partitioning. We used a C budget approach to quantify growth, C uptake and C partitioning in monocultures of Eucalyptus grandis (W.

Do changes in carbon allocation account for the growth response to potassium and sodium applications in tropical Eucalyptus plantations?

Understanding the underlying mechanisms that account for the impact of potassium (K) fertilization and its replacement by sodium (Na) on tree growth is key to improving the management of forest plantations that are expanding over weathered tropical soils with low amounts of exchangeable bases. A complete randomized block design was planted with Eucalyptus grandis (W. Hill ex Maiden) to quantify growth, carbon uptake and carbon partitioning using a carbon budget approach.

Influence of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on leaf lifespan and allocation of above-ground growth in Eucalyptus plantations.

Eucalyptus grandis (W. Hill ex Maiden) leaf traits and tree growth were studied over 3 years after the establishment of two adjacent complete randomized block designs in southern Brazil. In a nitrogen (N) input experiment, a treatment with the application of 120 kg N ha(-1) was compared to a control treatment without N addition, and in a potassium (K) input experiment a control treatment without K addition was compared to a treatment with the application of 116 kg K ha(-1).