Effective Placement Methods of Vermicompost Application in Urban Tree Species: Implications for Sustainable Urban Afforestation

Sustainability

JiYoung An¹  JonathanO. Hernandez¹  JeongMin Seo¹  ByungBae Park¹  HuongThi Thuy Dao¹  SiHo Han¹  WooBin Youn¹ 

[1] Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea;

关键词: biomass allocation;    fast-growing species;    fertilizer placement;    organic fertilizer;    vector analysis;    vermicomposting;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su12145822

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Knowledge on growth and nutrient uptake characteristics of urban trees and effective strategies to grow trees can help accomplish the goal of urban afforestation initiatives in a sustainable way. Thus, the study investigated the effects of different vermicompost (VC) application placements on the growth and nutrient uptake of three contrasting tree species (fast-growing Betula platyphylla and Larix kaempferi and slow-growing Chamaecyparis obtusa) to provide implications for growing tree stocks for sustainable urban afforestation programs. Five placement methods were used in the greenhouse trial: no fertilization (CON), surface placement (VC_s), subsurface placement at 6-cm depth (VC_c), bottom placement (35-cm depth (VC_b)), and mixed with soil (VC_m). We measured the growth parameters such as height, root collar diameter (RCD), and biomass and analyzed foliar nutrient concentrations in response to different placement treatments of VC. Relative height growth was the highest at VC_c (132% (B. platyphylla), 114% (L. kaempferi)) and VC_s ((57%) C. obtusa). Significant improvement in aboveground and belowground biomass growth of all species at VC_s and VC_c compared to the other treatments was also observed. Generally, VC treatments significantly increased N concentration compared to CON in all species. In conclusion, fertilizing the fast- and slow-growing urban tree species using VC_s and/or VC_c is relevant to growing high quality planting stocks for sustainable urban afforestation purposes.

【 授权许可】

Unknown