The productivity of pine plantations in relation to previous land use

Summary Differences in the productivity of establishedP. radiata plantations on pasture and forest soils were found to be reproducible withP. radiata seedlings in a glasshouse environment. The growth of seedlings on pasture soil exceeded that of seedlings on native forest soil (the ‘primary pasture effect’). After a history of pine on both native and pasture soils a residual effect of pasture on seedling growth was evident (the ‘secondary pasture effect’). However, the effect of a history of pine plantation (the ‘pine effect’) was to decrease the productivity of both native and pasture soil as assessed by seedling growth. These effects were not related to changes due to land management in mycorrhizal infection or in soil structure. The analysis of seedling growth leads to the conclusion that soil fertility, particularly the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus, has changed.