Abstract:
Biomass residue after the harvesting process naturally contains amounts of nutrients that can
improve soil quality and increase stand productivity. however, the benefits of biomass residue
in supporting forest management are rarely documented. this study investigated the effects
of added residual biomass on the performance of an Acacia auriculiformis stand. three levels
of treatment were examined in a randomized complete block design, including fertilization
without residual biomass addition, residual biomass addition without fertilization, and
fertilization combined with residual biomass addition. survival rate, tree diameter, tree height,
timber production, carbon storage, and nutrient accumulation were evaluated. the results
indicated significant differences in merchantable wood production, carbon storage, and
nutrient accumulation (P < 0.05). the addition of residual biomass combined with fertilization
generated significantly higher performance of A. auriculiformis than fertilization without
residual biomass addition (P < 0.05), with increasing productivity of 18.8 − 24.5%. therefore,
this study concluded that residual biomass addition had a positive influence on improving the
productivity of the A. auriculiformis stand. this treatment can be adopted as a nutrient
management strategy in A. auriculiformis stands to minimize fertilizer costs and reduce
environmental risks from overuse of fertilizers.
