Nutrient Mineralization Patterns of Leaf Litter from Selected Agroforestry Tree species in Jimma Town, Southwest, Ethiopia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v13is2.3468-3474.7984Keywords:
agroforestry, mineralization, nutrient cycling, foliage litterAbstract
The process of mineralization, which releases nutrients from organic matter, is essential for the cycling of nutrients in ecosystems. This study was conducted to understand the general mineralization pattern of three agroforestry species leaf litter using litter bag technique at Bye nursery site, Jimma Environment and Forest Research center. The experiment would be conducted during summer season due to moisture is the major factor which affect the existence of different microbes that facilitates (accelerates) nutrient mineralization rate. In this research, we investigated the mineralization patterns of leaf litter from three agroforestry tree species: Erythrina abyssinica, Ficus vasta, and Croton macrostachyus. A factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used in the study, with the tree species serving as the main plot and the incubation period (15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 days) as the subplot factor. According to our results of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) has revealed that (P < 0.001), the amounts of nutrients released and the rates of mineralization varied significantly among tree species. Except for phosphorus, almost 89% of the original litter nutrient content was mineralized and incorporated into the soil during the study period. All tree species released potassium (K) levels of over 975 ppm into the soil environment. Croton macrostachyus and Ficus vasta released over 88% of their phosphorus (P) by the end of the incubation period. The order of nutritional mineralization for Croton macrostachyus and Erythrina abyssinica was K>N>P, whereas for Ficus vasta it was K>P>N. Additionally, we found that for short term soil fertility correction to the eroded soil, application of both E.abyssinica and C.macrostachyus leaf litter are useful. Our results provide foundational information and new perspectives that can inform future investigations into mineralization trends in other agroforestry species.
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