Mekonnen K., Yohannes T., Glatzel G., Amha Y.
Institute of Forest Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Peter-JordanStrasse 82, A-1190, Vienna, Austria; Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization (EARO), P.O. Box 2003, Holetta, Ethiopia
Mekonnen, K., Institute of Forest Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Peter-JordanStrasse 82, A-1190, Vienna, Austria; Yohannes, T., Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization (EARO), P.O. Box 2003, Holetta, Ethiopia; Glatzel, G., Institute of Forest Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Peter-JordanStrasse 82, A-1190, Vienna, Austria; Amha, Y., Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization (EARO), P.O. Box 2003, Holetta, Ethiopia
The coverage of trees in the highland Vertisol areas of Ethiopia is very scarce. A tree screening trial was conducted from 1997 to 2002 in Ginchi (central Ethiopia) to select fast growing and high biomass producing tree species; evaluate foliage macronutrient concentration of different tree species; and assess effects of trees on soil chemical properties beneath their canopies. Acacia decurrens Willd, A. mearnsii De Wild and Eucalyptus globulus Labill attained the highest height growth at 64 months as compared to other indigenous and exotic species. E. globulus provided better height increment from 24 to 36 and 36 to 64 months than other tree and shrub species. Acacia mearnssi and A. saligna Labill Wendl produced high biomass at 40 and 64 months. Differences between the highest and lowest dry biomass at 12, 40 and 64 months were 1.13, 29.19 and 38.89 kg tree -1, respectively. None of the tree species resulted in a foliage to stem biomass ratio of >0.98 at 40 and 64 months. Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr had high N and P concentrations in its foliages and stems at 12 and 40 months. Total N under Acacia abyssinica Hochst. Ex Benth, A. saligna and S. sesban was slightly greater at 40 months than 12 months. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
Biomass; Nutrition; Available P; Foliage and soil N; Foliage to stem ratio; Forestry; foliage; growth rate; height; nutrient availability; soil property; tree; upland region; Vertisol; Biomass; Height; Nutrition; Trees; Africa; East Africa; Ethiopia; Ginchi; Sub-Saharan Africa; Acacia; Acacia abyssinica; Acacia decurrens; Acacia mearnsii; Acacia saligna; Eucalyptus; Eucalyptus globulus; Sesbania sesban