GROWTH RATE of TECTONA GRANDIS and CEDRELA ODORATA in MONOCULTURE and MIXED SPECIES SYSTEMS in BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA by JUANIT
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GROWTH RATE OF TECTONA GRANDIS AND CEDRELA ODORATA IN MONOCULTURE AND MIXED SPECIES SYSTEMS IN BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA By JUANITA GARCIA-SAQUI A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2007 © 2007 Juanita Garcia-Saqui To my mother Mrs. Juanita Garcia, You Are My Star. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my parents, Mr. Jorge Garcia and Mrs. Juanita Garcia, for their encouragement throughout the duration of my study. I would like to especially thank my mother for teaching me that patience and courage are big attributes toward achieving one’s goals in life; she believed in me from the beginning. I would like to thank my adviser, Dr. Shibu Jose, and my committee members, Dr. Michael Bannister and Dr. Richard Stepp, who guided me throughout the duration of my study. I could not have done this without the help of the staff in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and, to them, I am grateful. I would also like to extend sincerest gratitude to my husband, Mr. Pio Saqui, for his patience, words of encouragement, and for keeping me on tract. I would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Dipl. Ing. Sylvia Baumgart, Project Manager/Coordinator OAS Agro- Forestry Research Project, for providing technical assistance while I was in the field. You all made my life and my studies easier at the University of Florida. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................1 History of Agroforestry ................................................................................................2 Role of Agroforestry..............................................................................................6 Monoculture Systems vs. Mixed Species Systems................................................7 Ecological basis for mixed species systems...................................................9 Mixed canopy...............................................................................................10 Deeper rooting system..................................................................................10 Improving soil quality ..................................................................................11 Available light..............................................................................................13 Mixed species system as a pest management strategy .................................14 Current Project............................................................................................................16 2 GROWTH RATE OF TECTONA GRANDIS AND CEDRELA ODORATA IN MONOCULTURE VERSUS MIXED SPECIES PLANTATIONS IN BELIZE ......18 Problem Statment........................................................................................................19 Mixed Species Systems in Belize........................................................................20 Study System.......................................................................................................22 Characteristics of Cedrela odorata and Tectona grandis ...................................23 Materials and Methods ...............................................................................................23 Study Area...........................................................................................................23 Experimental Design and Measurements ............................................................24 Statistical Analysis ..............................................................................................26 Results And Discussion ..............................................................................................26 Survival Rate of T. grandis and C. odorata ........................................................26 Growth.................................................................................................................27 Foliar Nutrients....................................................................................................29 Soil Fertility.........................................................................................................30 v Conclusion ..................................................................................................................32 3 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.....................................................41 LIST OF REFERENCES...................................................................................................47 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .............................................................................................56 vi LIST OF TABLES Table page 2-1 Stem volume index of T. grandis and C. odorata in mixed species system compared to those in monoculture systems, four years after planting in the Cayo District, Belize..........................................................................................................38 2-2 Foliar analysis results per treatment. Chemical characteristics of the leaves from C. odorata and T. grandis at age four in mixed and monoculture systems in the study site in the Cayo District, Belize. .....................................................................39 2-3 Chemical characteristics of the top soil to 15 cm depth for monoculture and mixed species systems, Cayo District, Belize. .........................................................40 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure page 2-1 Map of Belize showing project/research site in the Cayo District..........................34 2-2 Graphical description of the monthly weather patterns (temperature (Co) and rainfall (mm)) of the study region in Belize during the study period May - August 2005 and 2006..............................................................................................35 2-3 The growth increment per month (measured during a 3 months active growing season in 2005) of C. odorata and T. grandis in mixed species and monoculture plots at the study site in the Cayo District, Belize. ..................................................36 2-4 Final height (m), GLD (cm) and SVI (cm3) of C. odorata and T. grandis at four years after planting in mixed species systems versus monoculture systems at the study site in Cayo District, Belize............................................................................37 viii Abstract of Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science GROWTH RATE OF TECTONA GRANDIS AND CEDRELA ODORATA IN MONOCULTURE AND MIXED SPECIES SYSTEMS IN BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA By Juanita Garcia-Saqui August 2007 Chair: Shibu Jose Major: Interdisciplinary Ecology This study seeks to understand the importance of mixed species agroforestry systems in Belize. It investigated the growth patterns of two hardwood tree species: Cedrela odorata L. (Cedar) and Tectona grandis L. (Teak) grown in mixed-species and monoculture plots to determine which type of system provides the best growth pattern. The hypothesis was that hardwood tree species grown in managed mixed-species system would grow better because of complimentary interactions between species. The results showed that the hardwood trees grew faster in mixed-species systems than in the monoculture treatment. However, C. odorata was found to be more prone to attacks by Hypsypla grandella Zellar (shoot borer) in the mixed species system than in the monoculture plots, which reduced their height growth when compared to the monoculture plot. Despite the H. grandella attacks of C. odorata, the mixed species system had higher land equivalent ratio (LER) compared to the monoculture treatment, indicating that mixing species was advantageous over growing the species in ix monoculture. An investigation to compare soils in both systems revealed that the mixed system improved soil fertility (higher cation exchange capacity) compared to the monoculture treatment. Future research should examine soil and canopy nutrient dynamics in detail so that the underlying mechanisms for the observed yield advantage in mixed species system can be unveiled. x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Belize, a Central American country, with a population size of ~290,000, is located to the south of Mexico, east of Guatemala and bordered to the east by the Caribbean Sea. It lies between 15°45' and 18°30' N latitude, and 87°30' and 89°15' W longitude. The total land area is 22,960 sq km (8,867 square miles) of which 95% is located on the mainland and 5% is distributed over more than 1060 islands. Total national territory (including territorial sea) is 46,620 sq km (approximately 18,000 square miles) (FRA, 2000). This strategic geographical location allows Belize to be considered part of the Caribbean economy and also integrated within Central America. The location and long history of peaceful existence attracted an influx of Central American immigrants (Latinos) throughout