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Lydie-Stella Koutika
Research Center on the Durability and the Productivity of Industrial Plantations (CRDPI), Av. Ma Loango Moe Poaty, Pointe-Noire BP 1291, Republic of the Congo

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Journal article
Published: 22 October 2020 in Sustainability
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Productivity and sustainability of tropical forest plantations greatly rely on regulation of ecosystem functioning and nutrient cycling, i.e., the link between plant growth, nutrient availability, and the microbial community structure. So far, these interactions have never been evaluated in the Acacia and Eucalyptus forest planted on infertile soils in the Congolese coastal plains. In the present work, the soil bacterial community has been investigated by metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene in different stands of monoculture and mixed-species plantation to evaluate the potential of nitrogen-fixing trees on nutrient and bacterial structure. At the phylum level, the soil bacterial community was dominated by Actinobacteria, followed by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria. A principal coordinate analysis revealed that bacterial communities from pure Eucalyptus, compared to those from plantations containing Acacia in pure and mixed-species stands, showed different community composition (beta-diversity). Regardless of the large variability of the studied soils, the prevalence of Firmicutes phylum, and lower bacterial richness and phylogenic diversity were reported in stands containing Acacia relative to the pure Eucalyptus. Distance-based redundancy analysis revealed a positive correlation of available phosphorus (P) and carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio with bacterial community structure. However, the Spearman correlation test revealed a broad correlation between the relative abundance of bacterial taxa and soil attributes, in particular with sulfur (S) and carbon (C), suggesting the important role of soil bacterial community in nutrient cycling in this type of forest management. Concerning mixed plantations, a shift in bacterial community structure was observed, probably linked to other changes, i.e., improvement in soil fertility (enhanced P and C dynamics in forest floor and soil, and increase in soil N status), and C sequestration in both soil and stand wood biomass with the great potential impact to mitigate climate change. Overall, our findings highlight the role of soil attributes, especially C, S, available P, and C/N ratio at a lesser extent, in driving the soil bacterial community in mixed-species plantations and its potential to improve soil fertility and to sustain Eucalyptus plantations established on the infertile and sandy soils of the Congolese coastal plains.

ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Alessia Fiore; Silvia Tabacchioni; Giuseppe Aprea; Arthur Prudêncio De Araujo Pereira; Annamaria Bevivino. Influence of Acacia mangium on Soil Fertility and Bacterial Community in Eucalyptus Plantations in the Congolese Coastal Plains. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8763 .

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Alessia Fiore, Silvia Tabacchioni, Giuseppe Aprea, Arthur Prudêncio De Araujo Pereira, Annamaria Bevivino. Influence of Acacia mangium on Soil Fertility and Bacterial Community in Eucalyptus Plantations in the Congolese Coastal Plains. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (21):8763.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Alessia Fiore; Silvia Tabacchioni; Giuseppe Aprea; Arthur Prudêncio De Araujo Pereira; Annamaria Bevivino. 2020. "Influence of Acacia mangium on Soil Fertility and Bacterial Community in Eucalyptus Plantations in the Congolese Coastal Plains." Sustainability 12, no. 21: 8763.

Journal article
Published: 27 June 2020 in Forest Ecosystems
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Background Land-use change and forest management may alter soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrient dynamics, due in part to alterations in litter input and quality. Acacia was introduced in eucalypt plantations established in the Congolese coastal plains to improve soil fertility and tree growth. Eucalypt trees were expected to benefit from N2 fixed by acacia. However, some indicators suggest a perturbation in SOM and P dynamics might affect the sustainability of the system in the medium and long term. In tropical environments, most of the nutrient processes are determined by the high rates of organic matter (OM) mineralization. Therefore, SOM stability might play a crucial role in regulating soil-plant processes. In spite of this, the relationship between SOM quality, C and other nutrient dynamics are not well understood. In the present study, OM quality and P forms in forest floor and soil were investigated to get more insight on the C and P dynamics useful to sustainable management of forest plantations. Methods Thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TGA)) and nuclear magnetic resonance (solid state 13C CPMASS and NMR and 31P-NMR) spectroscopy have been applied to partially decomposed forest floor and soils of pure acacia and eucalypt, and mixed-species acacia-eucalypt stands. Results Thermal analysis and 13C NMR analysis revealed a more advanced stage of humification in forest floor of acacia-eucalypt stands, suggesting a greater microbial activity in its litter. SOM were related to the OM recalcitrance of the forest floor, indicating this higher microbial activity of the forest floor in this stand might be favouring the incorporation of C into the mineral soil. Conclusions In relation with the fast mineralization in this environment, highly soluble orthophosphate was the dominant P form in both forest floor and soils. However, the mixed-species forest stands immobilized greater P in organic forms, preventing the P losses by leaching and contributing to sustain the P demand in the medium term. This shows that interactions between plants, microorganisms and soil can sustain the demand of this ecosystem. For this, the forest floor plays a key role in tightening the P cycle, minimizing the P losses.

ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Lorenzo Cafiero; Annamaria Bevivino; Agustín Merino. Organic matter quality of forest floor as a driver of C and P dynamics in acacia and eucalypt plantations established on a Ferralic Arenosols, Congo. Forest Ecosystems 2020, 7, 1 -15.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Lorenzo Cafiero, Annamaria Bevivino, Agustín Merino. Organic matter quality of forest floor as a driver of C and P dynamics in acacia and eucalypt plantations established on a Ferralic Arenosols, Congo. Forest Ecosystems. 2020; 7 (1):1-15.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Lorenzo Cafiero; Annamaria Bevivino; Agustín Merino. 2020. "Organic matter quality of forest floor as a driver of C and P dynamics in acacia and eucalypt plantations established on a Ferralic Arenosols, Congo." Forest Ecosystems 7, no. 1: 1-15.

Journal article
Published: 04 September 2019 in Forest Ecosystems
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Afforestation of savannas in the Congolese coastal plains with eucalypt has provided wood pulp for industry and fuel energy for the local population. Typically, following afforestation, Acacia mangium are introduced to improve soil fertility and sustain productivity. Through investigations of particulate organic matter (POM), potential soil organic matter (SOM) quality was assessed in acacia and eucalypt plantations along rotations. Nutrients in POM (4000–50 μm) in the 0–5 cm soil layer were measured after five years into the second rotation (R2Y5) in relation to soil pH and P availability. Data were compared to those at the end of the first 7-year-rotation (R1Y7) and after two years into the second rotation (R2Y2) to evaluate overall SOM quality in the topsoil. At R2Y5, soil pH was higher in the pure eucalypt stands (100E) than in stands containing acacia, either in monoculture (100A) or evenly mixed with eucalypt (50A50E). Coarse POM (cPOM, 4000–250 μm) beneath 100A had the highest N concentration (1.71%), followed by those beneath 50A50E (1.42%) and 100E (1.30%). Higher N was always found in the stands containing acacia. Lower sulphur (S) concentrations and P availabilities were observed in cPOM (50A50E). The greatest amount of coarse (414.7 g) and fine (214.5 g) forest floor litter were found in 100A stands, whereas higher C concentrations were found in the 100E stands for coarse forest floor litter (36.5%) and in the 50A50E stands for fine forest floor litter (38.7%). The decrease in cPOM N and C concentrations were lower than 20% (R1Y7) and 26% (R2Y5) relative to the younger stage (R2Y2). This tendency was more pronounced in fine POM (250–50 μm) and organo-mineral fraction (< 50 μm). The main changes occurred in cPOM beneath stands containing acacia while higher weight of forest floor litter was found in 100A. Soil pH decreased in stands containing acacia. Overall N and C dynamics was enhanced in older stands (R2Y5) than in the younger stands (R2Y2). This may reveal a creation of more labile SOM with lower N and C concentrations in POM fractions in the surface layer, i.e., an ecosystem with a lower potential to mitigate climate change along rotations.

ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Sylvain Ngoyi; Lorenzo Cafiero; Annamaria Bevivino. Soil organic matter quality along rotations in acacia and eucalypt plantations in the Congolese coastal plains. Forest Ecosystems 2019, 6, 1 -13.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Sylvain Ngoyi, Lorenzo Cafiero, Annamaria Bevivino. Soil organic matter quality along rotations in acacia and eucalypt plantations in the Congolese coastal plains. Forest Ecosystems. 2019; 6 (1):1-13.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Sylvain Ngoyi; Lorenzo Cafiero; Annamaria Bevivino. 2019. "Soil organic matter quality along rotations in acacia and eucalypt plantations in the Congolese coastal plains." Forest Ecosystems 6, no. 1: 1-13.

Perspective
Published: 23 March 2019 in Ambio
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Climate change adaptation, mitigation and food security may be addressed at the same time by enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration through environmentally sound land management practices. This is promoted by the “4 per 1000” Initiative, a multi-stakeholder platform aiming at increasing SOC storage through sustainable practices. The scientific and technical committee of the Initiative is working to identify indicators, research priorities and region-specific practices needed for their implementation. The Initiative received its name due to the global importance of soils for climate change, which can be illustrated by a thought experiment showing that an annual growth rate of only 0.4% of the standing global SOC stocks would have the potential to counterbalance the current increase in atmospheric CO2. However, there are numerous barriers to the rise in SOC stocks and while SOC sequestration can contribute to partly offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, its main benefits are related to increased soil quality and climate change adaptation. The Initiative provides a collaborative platform for policy makers, practitioners, scientists and stakeholders to engage in finding solutions. Criticism of the Initiative has been related to the poor definition of its numerical target, which was not understood as an aspirational goal. The objective of this paper is to present the aims of the initiative, to discuss critical issues and to present challenges for its implementation. We identify barriers, risks and trade-offs and advocate for collaboration between multiple parties in order to stimulate innovation and to initiate the transition of agricultural systems toward sustainability.

ACS Style

Cornelia Rumpel; Farshad Amiraslani; Claire Chenu; Magaly Garcia Cardenas; Martin Kaonga; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Jagdish Ladha; Beata Madari; Yasuhito Shirato; Pete Smith; Brahim Soudi; Jean-Francois Soussana; David Whitehead; Eva Wollenberg. The 4p1000 initiative: Opportunities, limitations and challenges for implementing soil organic carbon sequestration as a sustainable development strategy. Ambio 2019, 49, 350 -360.

AMA Style

Cornelia Rumpel, Farshad Amiraslani, Claire Chenu, Magaly Garcia Cardenas, Martin Kaonga, Lydie-Stella Koutika, Jagdish Ladha, Beata Madari, Yasuhito Shirato, Pete Smith, Brahim Soudi, Jean-Francois Soussana, David Whitehead, Eva Wollenberg. The 4p1000 initiative: Opportunities, limitations and challenges for implementing soil organic carbon sequestration as a sustainable development strategy. Ambio. 2019; 49 (1):350-360.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cornelia Rumpel; Farshad Amiraslani; Claire Chenu; Magaly Garcia Cardenas; Martin Kaonga; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Jagdish Ladha; Beata Madari; Yasuhito Shirato; Pete Smith; Brahim Soudi; Jean-Francois Soussana; David Whitehead; Eva Wollenberg. 2019. "The 4p1000 initiative: Opportunities, limitations and challenges for implementing soil organic carbon sequestration as a sustainable development strategy." Ambio 49, no. 1: 350-360.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2019 in Geoderma Regional
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ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika. Afforesting savannas with Acacia mangium and eucalyptus improves P availability in Arenosols of the Congolese coastal plains. Geoderma Regional 2019, 16, 1 .

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika. Afforesting savannas with Acacia mangium and eucalyptus improves P availability in Arenosols of the Congolese coastal plains. Geoderma Regional. 2019; 16 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika. 2019. "Afforesting savannas with Acacia mangium and eucalyptus improves P availability in Arenosols of the Congolese coastal plains." Geoderma Regional 16, no. : 1.

Review
Published: 29 January 2019 in Forest Ecosystems
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Acacia mangium, a fast-growing tree native to parts of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia, has been cultivated outside its native environment and introduced into humid tropical lowland regions of Asia, South America and Africa over the last few decades. It is a multipurpose tree used in agroforestry, forestry and for restoration of degraded lands. It is also highly invasive in many regions where it has been introduced outside its native range. This paper reviews evidence of its obvious benefits and its negative impacts on biodiversity. A literature review on Australian acacias and especially on A. mangium was undertaken to highlight both benefits and threats associated with their increasing worldwide use outside their native ranges. Through N2 fixed from the atmosphere, A. mangium improves soil fertility, especially by increasing N status and soil C accretion when introduced to N-limited areas; it thus has the potential to restore nutrient cycling in degraded systems. No studies have, however, been done to assess the effectiveness of A. mangium in restoring biodiversity of degraded lands. Most Australian acacias have traits that facilitate invasiveness, and 23 species have been recorded as invasive to date. A. mangium has been reported as invasive in Asia, Indonesia, Pacific Islands, Indian Ocean Islands, southern Africa and Brazil. Research on other invasive Australian acacias in several parts of the world has elucidated the types of impacts that are likely in different types of ecosystems and key options for mitigating impacts. A. mangium has the potential to restore nutrient cycling in degraded systems, but is highly invasive wherever it is planted. Many parts of the world have a large invasion debt for this species. Experience with other invasive acacias around the world suggests a suite of interventions that could be used to reduce invasions and mitigate impacts. Careful risk assessments should be undertaken prior to any new plantings of this species.

ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; David M. Richardson. Acacia mangium Willd: benefits and threats associated with its increasing use around the world. Forest Ecosystems 2019, 6, 2 .

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, David M. Richardson. Acacia mangium Willd: benefits and threats associated with its increasing use around the world. Forest Ecosystems. 2019; 6 (1):2.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; David M. Richardson. 2019. "Acacia mangium Willd: benefits and threats associated with its increasing use around the world." Forest Ecosystems 6, no. 1: 2.

Short communication
Published: 05 July 2018 in Ecological Indicators
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Establishing highly productive forest plantations or crops on poor soils requires appropriate management to ensure sustainable production. The current development of various ecological intensification practices calls for efficient tools to monitor their effects on agro-ecosystems. Ecological intensification such as an association between a N2-fixing tree species and a highly productive species, e.g. an acacia and a eucalypt, is an agro-ecological plantation design that can enhance nutrient cycling and preserve soil fertility in tropical and sub-tropical areas. In this study, Anionic Exchange Membranes (AEM) were used to assess in situ the effect of tree species on the availability and spatial variability of nitrate (N) and phosphorus (P) in pure Acacia mangium (A), pure eucalypt (E) and mixed-species treatments (MA-ME) in a randomized complete block design on a ferralitic arenosol. The results showed that the AEM detected the specific influence of tree species on N and P availability at the stand level as well as interactions between trees in the mixed-species treatment. Moreover, nutrients trapped using AEM were significantly correlated with N and P immobilized in the tree biomass. In the mixed stand, AEM made it possible to understand the specific impact of each tree species on N and P availability reflecting the respective biogeochemical mechanisms at work. This preliminary study showed that AEM are a promising tool that can be used in situ for intensive sampling in multi-local comparisons to highlight the effect of management practices on soil fertility as well as the relationships between vegetation cover and soil.

ACS Style

Edith Le Cadre; Merveil Kinkondi; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron; Louis Mareschal. Anionic exchange membranes, a promising tool to measure distribution of soil nutrients in tropical multispecific plantations. Ecological Indicators 2018, 94, 254 -256.

AMA Style

Edith Le Cadre, Merveil Kinkondi, Lydie-Stella Koutika, Daniel Epron, Louis Mareschal. Anionic exchange membranes, a promising tool to measure distribution of soil nutrients in tropical multispecific plantations. Ecological Indicators. 2018; 94 ():254-256.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Edith Le Cadre; Merveil Kinkondi; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron; Louis Mareschal. 2018. "Anionic exchange membranes, a promising tool to measure distribution of soil nutrients in tropical multispecific plantations." Ecological Indicators 94, no. : 254-256.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2018 in Bosque (Valdivia)
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A mixed-species plantation of Acacia mangium (acacia) and Eucalyptus urophilla x grandis (eucalypt) hybrid was established on the Arenosols of the coastal Congolese plains to improve soil fertility and sustain forest plantation productivity. At one year into the second rotation, some of the acacia started to exhibit yellowing and drying of leaves, resulting in the death of the whole tree. One-third of the pure acacias (100A) and the mixed, 50 % acacia and 50 % eucalypt (50A50E) hybrid, exhibited these characteristics five months later. To limit the damage, the acacias were pruned up to 1.30 meters. The acacias were threatened by a dry season that extended two months longer than during the previous year, probably triggered by sandy textured soils and poor soil fertility (nitrogen < 0.07 % in the 0.05 meters). Soil moisture to a depth of 0.15 meters was higher under eucalypt compared to acacia. It appears that the acacia root structure may have been less tolerant to drought conditions compared with the eucalypts, leading to damage of acacias, which was exacerbated by the acacia’s young age, poor soil fertility and sandy soil texture. One year after pruning, acacias in both 100A and 50A50E presented a healthier tree structure. Furthermore, no negative impact on aboveground biomass -i.e., wood, bark, leaves and branch- has been recorded at 12 and 24 months.

ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Louis Mareschal; Sonia Rudowsky. Fate of Acacia mangium in eucalypt mixed-species plantations during drought conditions in the Congolese coastal plains. Bosque (Valdivia) 2018, 39, 131 -136.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Louis Mareschal, Sonia Rudowsky. Fate of Acacia mangium in eucalypt mixed-species plantations during drought conditions in the Congolese coastal plains. Bosque (Valdivia). 2018; 39 (1):131-136.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Louis Mareschal; Sonia Rudowsky. 2018. "Fate of Acacia mangium in eucalypt mixed-species plantations during drought conditions in the Congolese coastal plains." Bosque (Valdivia) 39, no. 1: 131-136.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2017 in Geoderma Regional
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ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Louis Mareschal. Acacia and eucalypt change P, N and C concentrations in POM of Arenosols in the Congolese coastal plains. Geoderma Regional 2017, 11, 37 -43.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Louis Mareschal. Acacia and eucalypt change P, N and C concentrations in POM of Arenosols in the Congolese coastal plains. Geoderma Regional. 2017; 11 ():37-43.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Louis Mareschal. 2017. "Acacia and eucalypt change P, N and C concentrations in POM of Arenosols in the Congolese coastal plains." Geoderma Regional 11, no. : 37-43.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2017 in Forest Ecology and Management
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The success of mixed-species tree plantations depends on the balance between positive and negative interactions. Mixtures of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus urophylla x grandis out-yield their respective monocultures in term of wood production on the Congolese coastal plain, suggesting that facilitation and/or competitive reduction surpass interspecific competition. We investigated how these interactions affected biomass production and N accumulation during the early growth stage of a second rotation of a mixed-species stand of these two species. We used the N-15 dilution method to estimate symbiotic nitrogen fixation and its contribution to N accumulation in acacia monoculture and mixture, and we assessed how much N derived from the atmosphere is transferred to the eucalypt trees in the mixed-species stand. Eucalypts grew taller and acacias grew larger in the mixture compared to the monocultures. N mineralomass was greater in the mixture relative to the average values in the two monocultures, with both species contributing to this enhanced N mineralomass. The amount of N derived from the atmosphere in the mixture was 60% higher than that expected given the amount found in acacia monoculture, and 16% of the nitrogen accumulated in eucalypt trees and aboveground eucalypt litterfall was derived from the atmosphere. Reduced competition for light and soil water also contributed to the increased growth of acacias in the mixture, showing that both species benefit from growing in a mixed stand

ACS Style

Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron. Biomass production, nitrogen accumulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in a mixed-species plantation of eucalypt and acacia on a nutrient-poor tropical soil. Forest Ecology and Management 2017, 403, 103 -111.

AMA Style

Sogni Viviane Tchichelle, Louis Mareschal, Lydie-Stella Koutika, Daniel Epron. Biomass production, nitrogen accumulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in a mixed-species plantation of eucalypt and acacia on a nutrient-poor tropical soil. Forest Ecology and Management. 2017; 403 ():103-111.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron. 2017. "Biomass production, nitrogen accumulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in a mixed-species plantation of eucalypt and acacia on a nutrient-poor tropical soil." Forest Ecology and Management 403, no. : 103-111.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2017 in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
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Lydie-Stella Koutika; Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Louis Mareschal; Daniel Epron. Nitrogen dynamics in a nutrient-poor soil under mixed-species plantations of eucalypts and acacias. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 2017, 108, 84 -90.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Sogni Viviane Tchichelle, Louis Mareschal, Daniel Epron. Nitrogen dynamics in a nutrient-poor soil under mixed-species plantations of eucalypts and acacias. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 2017; 108 ():84-90.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Louis Mareschal; Daniel Epron. 2017. "Nitrogen dynamics in a nutrient-poor soil under mixed-species plantations of eucalypts and acacias." Soil Biology and Biochemistry 108, no. : 84-90.

Journal article
Published: 22 March 2017 in Tree Physiology
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Numerous studies have shown that internal nitrogen (N) translocation in temperate tree species is governed by photoperiod duration and temperature. For tropical tree species, the seasonality of rainfall is known to affect growth and foliage production, suggesting that efficient internal N recycling also occurs throughout the year. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the N budgets and N partitioning (non-structural vs structural N) in the different organs of 7-year-old Eucalyptus urophylla (S.T. Blake) × E. grandis (W. Hill ex Maiden) trees from a plantation in coastal Congo on poor sandy soil. The trees were sampled at the end of the dry season and late in the rainy season. Lower N concentrations and N investment in the non-structural fraction were observed in leaves during the dry season, which indicates resorption of non-structural N from senescing leaves. Stem wood, which contributes to about 60% of the total biomass of the trees, accumulated high amounts of non-structural N at the end of the dry season, most of which was remobilized during the following rainy season. These results support the hypothesis of efficient internal N recycling, which may be an important determinant for the growth potential of eucalypts on N-poor soils. Harvesting trees late in the rainy season when stem wood is depleted in non-structural N should be recommended to limit the export of nutrients off-site and to improve the sustainability of tropical eucalypt plantations.

ACS Style

Dominique Gérant; Morgane Pluchon; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron. Seasonality of nitrogen partitioning (non-structural vs structural) in the leaves and woody tissues of tropical eucalypts experiencing a marked dry season. Tree Physiology 2017, 37, 790 -798.

AMA Style

Dominique Gérant, Morgane Pluchon, Louis Mareschal, Lydie-Stella Koutika, Daniel Epron. Seasonality of nitrogen partitioning (non-structural vs structural) in the leaves and woody tissues of tropical eucalypts experiencing a marked dry season. Tree Physiology. 2017; 37 (6):790-798.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dominique Gérant; Morgane Pluchon; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron. 2017. "Seasonality of nitrogen partitioning (non-structural vs structural) in the leaves and woody tissues of tropical eucalypts experiencing a marked dry season." Tree Physiology 37, no. 6: 790-798.

Article
Published: 22 September 2016 in Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
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The introduction of N2-fixing tree species in fast growing tree plantations is a sustainable management option aiming to reduce the risk of nitrogen (N) deficiency due to a large and frequent exportation of nutrients at harvest. Differences in soil mineral N preferences between Eucalyptus urophylla × grandis and Acacia mangium may, in addition to facilitation related to atmospheric N2 fixation, contribute to the success of mixed-species plantations of the two species on nutrient-poor soils of the coastal Congolese plains. We tested whether these two species differ in their preference for nitrate or ammonium by supplying either ammonium or nitrate enriched in 15N to six-month-old potted trees growing in an open-air nursery. Although the uptake of nitrate tended to be higher than that of ammonium by both species, the difference was not significant and there was no significant difference between the species regarding their preferred form of soil mineral N. Despite much lower N contents in foliage, stems, and roots of eucalypt compared to acacia, the specific rates of N uptake were up to three times higher for eucalypt than acacia, which suggests that atmospheric N2 was the major source of N in the six-month-old acacias. We conclude that N2 fixation rather than complementarity for soil mineral nitrogen alleviates the competition between species in successful mixed eucalypt and acacia plantations.

ACS Style

Daniel Epron; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Jean-Pierre Bouillet; Louis Mareschal. Uptake of soil mineral nitrogen by Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus urophylla × grandis : No difference in N form preference. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 2016, 179, 726 -732.

AMA Style

Daniel Epron, Lydie-Stella Koutika, Sogni Viviane Tchichelle, Jean-Pierre Bouillet, Louis Mareschal. Uptake of soil mineral nitrogen by Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus urophylla × grandis : No difference in N form preference. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science. 2016; 179 (6):726-732.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel Epron; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Jean-Pierre Bouillet; Louis Mareschal. 2016. "Uptake of soil mineral nitrogen by Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus urophylla × grandis : No difference in N form preference." Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 179, no. 6: 726-732.

Journal article
Published: 20 September 2016 in Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science
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Sustainable wood production requires appropriate management of commercial forest plantations. Establishment of industrial eucalypt plantations on poor sandy soils leads to a high loss of nutrients including nitrogen (N) after wood harvesting. An ecological intensification of eucalypt plantations was tested with the replacement of half of the Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis by Acacia mangium in the eucalypt monoculture to sustain soil fertility through enhancement of the N biological cycle. A randomised block design was set up on ferralitic arenosol in the Congolese coastal plains to assess differences in soil N mineralisation, N fluxes in litterfall, and N stocks in forest floor litter and soil between pure acacia (100A), pure eucalypt (100E) and mixed-species treatments (50A50E). Soil N mineralisation was enhanced under acacia, reaching on average 0.17 and 0.15 mg kg−1 soil d−1 in 100A and 50A50E, respectively, compared with 0.09 mg kg−1 soil d−1 in 100E. Higher amounts of N returning to the soil through harvest residues and litterfall were observed under acacia than under eucalypt. However, N stock in mineral soil was not increased in 100A and exhibited a limited increase only in the top soil layer of 50A50E. Our results suggest a much faster N turnover under acacia than under eucalypt. Although A. mangium is an exotic N2-fixing tree in central Africa, it appears to be well adapted to the climatic and edaphic conditions of the Congo, showing an efficient growth strategy. Eucalypt trees could benefit from the increase in soil N availability in mixed-species stands.

ACS Style

Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Daniel Epron; Fidèle Mialoundama; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Jean-Michel Harmand; Jean-Pierre Bouillet; Louis Mareschal. Differences in nitrogen cycling and soil mineralisation between a eucalypt plantation and a mixed eucalypt and Acacia mangium plantation on a sandy tropical soil. Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science 2016, 79, 1 -8.

AMA Style

Sogni Viviane Tchichelle, Daniel Epron, Fidèle Mialoundama, Lydie-Stella Koutika, Jean-Michel Harmand, Jean-Pierre Bouillet, Louis Mareschal. Differences in nitrogen cycling and soil mineralisation between a eucalypt plantation and a mixed eucalypt and Acacia mangium plantation on a sandy tropical soil. Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science. 2016; 79 (1):1-8.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Daniel Epron; Fidèle Mialoundama; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Jean-Michel Harmand; Jean-Pierre Bouillet; Louis Mareschal. 2016. "Differences in nitrogen cycling and soil mineralisation between a eucalypt plantation and a mixed eucalypt and Acacia mangium plantation on a sandy tropical soil." Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science 79, no. 1: 1-8.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2016 in European Journal of Soil Biology
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Daniel Epron; Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Yann Nouvellon; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika. No isotopic evidence for a differential mineralization of old soil organic matter in sandy, nutrient-poor, tropical soils under eucalypts and acacias. European Journal of Soil Biology 2016, 76, 92 -94.

AMA Style

Daniel Epron, Sogni Viviane Tchichelle, Yann Nouvellon, Louis Mareschal, Lydie-Stella Koutika. No isotopic evidence for a differential mineralization of old soil organic matter in sandy, nutrient-poor, tropical soils under eucalypts and acacias. European Journal of Soil Biology. 2016; 76 ():92-94.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel Epron; Sogni Viviane Tchichelle; Yann Nouvellon; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika. 2016. "No isotopic evidence for a differential mineralization of old soil organic matter in sandy, nutrient-poor, tropical soils under eucalypts and acacias." European Journal of Soil Biology 76, no. : 92-94.

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Published: 01 June 2016 in Geoderma Regional
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Introducing nitrogen fixing species (NFS) in forest plantations reduces soil N-limitation, but also involves changes in phosphorus (P) availability in the Ferralitic Arenosols of the Congolese coastal plains or Batéké Plateaux in Central Africa. We evaluated soil-available P and total P in above-ground litters, leaves, bark and wood in pure (100A, 100E) and mixed-species (50A50E) stands of acacia (a NFS) and eucalypt plantations in the Congolese coastal plains at year 2 of the second rotation (Y2R2) compared to the end of the first 7-year rotation (EndR1). Soil available P was measured as resin P, bicarbonate-extractable inorganic (Pi-HCO3) and organic (Po-HCO3). Soil resin-P values (15–19 mg P kg− 1) in 100E were 80% higher relative to 100A (8–17 mg P kg− 1) at Y2R2 against no difference for both 100E and 100A (8–12 mg P kg− 1) at EndR1. Total P concentration was higher in acacia wood (0.61 g P kg− 1 of dry mass (DM)) than in eucalypt wood (0.57 g P kg− 1 of DM) in 50A50E at Y2R2, while higher stock of P and higher ratio of N:P ratios were found in the foliage of acacia than of eucalypt trees. Our data suggests that the risk of shifting from N-limitation to P-limitation system is minor. However, in the long term, P-limitation may eventually occur in pure acacia plantations, due to mining of soil available P by acacia's higher P uptake relative to eucalypt and additional requirement for symbiotic fixation of atmospheric N2.

ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Louis Mareschal; Daniel Epron. Soil P availability under eucalypt and acacia on Ferralic Arenosols, republic of the Congo. Geoderma Regional 2016, 7, 153 -158.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Louis Mareschal, Daniel Epron. Soil P availability under eucalypt and acacia on Ferralic Arenosols, republic of the Congo. Geoderma Regional. 2016; 7 (2):153-158.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Louis Mareschal; Daniel Epron. 2016. "Soil P availability under eucalypt and acacia on Ferralic Arenosols, republic of the Congo." Geoderma Regional 7, no. 2: 153-158.

Journal article
Published: 01 June 2015 in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
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Daniel Epron; Cadeau Mouanda; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika. Impacts of organic residue management on the soil C dynamics in a tropical eucalypt plantation on a nutrient-poor sandy soil after three rotations. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 2015, 85, 183 -189.

AMA Style

Daniel Epron, Cadeau Mouanda, Louis Mareschal, Lydie-Stella Koutika. Impacts of organic residue management on the soil C dynamics in a tropical eucalypt plantation on a nutrient-poor sandy soil after three rotations. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 2015; 85 ():183-189.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel Epron; Cadeau Mouanda; Louis Mareschal; Lydie-Stella Koutika. 2015. "Impacts of organic residue management on the soil C dynamics in a tropical eucalypt plantation on a nutrient-poor sandy soil after three rotations." Soil Biology and Biochemistry 85, no. : 183-189.

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Published: 01 September 2014 in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
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Input of organic matter to soil may stimulate microbial activity and alter soil carbon storage by modifying the mineralization of native soil organic carbon (SOC). Assessing the age of SOC affected by the altered mineralization is a major challenge as the destabilisation of old SOC would be much more damageable for the overall carbon budget than the mobilization of recent SOC. Here, we investigated the microbial populations sequentially activated after the addition of a labile substrate. We questioned whether they have distinct metabolic potential and we characterised the age of the native SOC they primed. We used soils from Congolese Eucalyptus plantations that were previously under savannah and which old and recent SOC exhibited different delta C-13. Soils were amended with glucose, in an amount sufficient to induce microbe growth, and incubated for one week. The delta C-13 of respired CO2 was continuously recorded using a tuneable diode laser spectrometer (TDLS). The combination of two glucose treatments with different delta C-13 signatures allowed partitioning the various sources of CO2 over time (recent SOC, old SOC and glucose). This was combined with phospholipids fatty acids (PLFA) analyses and potential metabolic activities measurements after 40 h and seven days of incubation. A peak of glucose mineralization occurred after 17 h of incubation. Before this peak (Stage 1), some specific communities with a strong feeding preference for recent SOC were activated. After the glucose peak (Stage 2), over-mineralization of native SOC occurred for some days. The recent 0 SOC was first preferentially used (Stage 3), while the old C4 SOC was destabilised in a later stage (Stage 4). Metabolic functions and composition of microbial communities also differed between Stages 3 and 4.Microbial populations collected at Stage 4 were slower compared to Stage 3, but more efficient in decomposing nutrient-containing substrates. Gram negative bacteria (16:1w7c and 18:1w7c) were stimulated at Stage 3 only, while Gram negative bacteria (cy17:0) were stimulated at both Stages 3 and 4. Our results demonstrated that the input of labile substrate alters the microbial community composition, potential metabolic activities, and the SOC pools utilisation. They pointed out the necessity to assess the age of destabilised SOC when investigating the impact of priming on carbon storage in soi

ACS Style

Delphine Derrien; Caroline Plain; Pierre-Emmanuel Courty; Louisette Gelhaye; Tanja C.W. Moerdijk-Poortvliet; Fabien Thomas; Antoine Versini; Bernhard Zeller; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Henricus T.S. Boschker; Daniel Epron. Does the addition of labile substrate destabilise old soil organic matter? Soil Biology and Biochemistry 2014, 76, 149 -160.

AMA Style

Delphine Derrien, Caroline Plain, Pierre-Emmanuel Courty, Louisette Gelhaye, Tanja C.W. Moerdijk-Poortvliet, Fabien Thomas, Antoine Versini, Bernhard Zeller, Lydie-Stella Koutika, Henricus T.S. Boschker, Daniel Epron. Does the addition of labile substrate destabilise old soil organic matter? Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 2014; 76 ():149-160.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Delphine Derrien; Caroline Plain; Pierre-Emmanuel Courty; Louisette Gelhaye; Tanja C.W. Moerdijk-Poortvliet; Fabien Thomas; Antoine Versini; Bernhard Zeller; Lydie-Stella Koutika; Henricus T.S. Boschker; Daniel Epron. 2014. "Does the addition of labile substrate destabilise old soil organic matter?" Soil Biology and Biochemistry 76, no. : 149-160.

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Published: 25 February 2014 in Plant and Soil
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The introduction of Acacia mangium in Eucalyptus urophylla x grandis stands improves wood production on poor sandy soils of coastal plains of the Congo. We assessed the impact of A. mangium plantations in pure stands and in mixture with eucalypt trees on the physico-chemical properties of the soil after one rotation. Bulk densities, N, C, available P and pH were determined on soil sampled in the pure acacia (100A), pure eucalypt (100E) and mixed-species (50A:50E) stands. N and P were determined in aboveground litters and in leaves, bark and wood of trees. N and C concentrations were higher in 50A:50E than in 100A and 100E in the top soil layer. The pH was lower in 100A and higher in 100E than in 50A:50E. The available P was lower in 50A:50E than in 100A and 100E. Leaf N was lower in 50A:50E than in 100A for acacia, and higher than in 100E for eucalypt. Leaf P was similar for acacia but higher for eucalypt in 50A:50E than in 100E. In contrast to P, the amount of N in aboveground litterfall increased with the proportion of acacia in the stand. The introduction of acacia trees in eucalypt plantations increased C and N contents of the soil but decreased the available P content in the mixed-species stand. This may be related to a higher uptake of P needed to maintain the N:P stoichiometry in eucalypt leaves.

ACS Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron; Jean-Pierre Bouillet; Louis Mareschal. Changes in N and C concentrations, soil acidity and P availability in tropical mixed acacia and eucalypt plantations on a nutrient-poor sandy soil. Plant and Soil 2014, 379, 205 -216.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Daniel Epron, Jean-Pierre Bouillet, Louis Mareschal. Changes in N and C concentrations, soil acidity and P availability in tropical mixed acacia and eucalypt plantations on a nutrient-poor sandy soil. Plant and Soil. 2014; 379 (1-2):205-216.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Daniel Epron; Jean-Pierre Bouillet; Louis Mareschal. 2014. "Changes in N and C concentrations, soil acidity and P availability in tropical mixed acacia and eucalypt plantations on a nutrient-poor sandy soil." Plant and Soil 379, no. 1-2: 205-216.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2013 in European Journal of Soil Biology
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Lydie-Stella Koutika; Timothy E. Crews; George Ayaga; Philip C. Brookes. Microbial biomass P dynamics and sequential P fractionation in high and low P fixing Kenyan soils. European Journal of Soil Biology 2013, 59, 54 -59.

AMA Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika, Timothy E. Crews, George Ayaga, Philip C. Brookes. Microbial biomass P dynamics and sequential P fractionation in high and low P fixing Kenyan soils. European Journal of Soil Biology. 2013; 59 ():54-59.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lydie-Stella Koutika; Timothy E. Crews; George Ayaga; Philip C. Brookes. 2013. "Microbial biomass P dynamics and sequential P fractionation in high and low P fixing Kenyan soils." European Journal of Soil Biology 59, no. : 54-59.