Forest plantations are ciontroversial because of assumed impacts on biodiversity,,water, soil erosion, connectivity. The idea is analyze each of the individualized constraints and compare them with alternative land uses, like soybeans, oil palm, wheat, rice, corn, citrics, etc. in terms of effect/ha/year on average, and in different life zones.
Fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are infrequently needed in native forests, but sometimes used to maximize growth or prevent loss. Fertilization needed should be evaluated by soil scientist and applied with appropriate BMPs to minimize effects to streams. The correct fertilizer and timing of application os important to be effective. About same for pesticides, use only of needed with BMPs. The use of these is seldom during a tree or plantation life.
Eucalypt plantations in South Africa, Brazil and southern China use a good deal of fertiliser. The primary deficiency is typically P, after which there are responses to N and less frequently to other elements. Foliar analysis is useful for eucalypts, but some store P in stems not leaves.
Thanks Suresh, William and Paul. I am talking about forest plantations, like Pine, Gmelina, Teack. Yes plantations use fertilizers and pesticides, especially at the nursery level, but I need to qualify what is a "good deal " of fertilizers in comparison with alternative land uses, like cattle farming, staple food, pineapples, bananas, tomatoes, coffee. Many people tend to reject forest plantations from an environmental perspective, but I want to bring all variables to discussion. It exists a transect of fertilizers and pesticides from whath uses nothing ( the management of a tropical forest) till the the crops that uses the most. I would like to do the same with the use of fossil fuel from a seed to the final product, etc.
The purpose of this question is not so much to determine how much fertilizers are used in a plantation. I have the idea to compare the use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, oil, water, and which is proportion of still remaining forests in the crops. The idea is to compare forest plantations, secondary forest management, uneven aged tropical forests management with bananas, soybeans, pineapple, cantiaupes, oranges, mangos, tomatoes, potatoes, maize, wheat, rice. A big differences in the averages by ha/year will appear for sure. The intention is identify externalities of which is never talk , specially as a comparison.
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