Year: 1987
Type: article
Abstract: Although soils on the Krakatau Islands where the ecosystems were completely destroyed by the well known catastrophic eruptions in 1883 are virtually “immature” soils derived from volcanic ashes and scorias in an early weathering stage, the following soil characteristics supporting the luxuriant forest vegetation could be pointed out: high base saturation degree, high intensity of nutrient release and intermittent supply of fresh ashes from the active Anak Krakatau volcano. All these characteristics appear to be responsible for the efficient cycling of nutrient elements in the plant-soil system. Nutritional status of soils, i.e. amounts of exchangeable bases, available P and inorganic N, was relatively enriched on Rakata Besar where the soils are derived from volcanic ashes deposited in the form of pyroclastic flows in 1883 with little overlying volcanic ashes and scorias originating from the active Anak Krakatau volcano since 1929. Correlation study of the amounts of macronutrients with the total ABH (Areas of Breast Height, an index of biomass) of the forests at 13 sample sites somewhat failed to show a high significance for any single element, but the correlation of the amounts of macronutrients with the two proposed successional indexes of the forests on Sertung and Rakata Kecil indicated the positive role of inorganic N and exchangeable K in the promotion of the succession of the forest vegetation on the Krakatau Islands.
Source: Soil Science & Plant Nutrition
Institution: Kagoshima University
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2017352013