Aluminum toxicity and forest decline

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.85.11.3888· OSTI ID:5559171

Godbold, D L; Fritz, E; Huettermann, A ^[1]

---

1. Institut fuer Forstbotanik der Universitaet Goettingen (West Germany)

The rate of root elongation in seedlings of Picea abies was drastically inhibited by exposure to AlCl{sub 3} at 800 or 1200 {mu}mol/dm{sup 3} in nutrient solutions. A 35-day exposure to Al at 700 {mu}mol/dm{sup 3} reduced Mg and Ca in roots and needles of the seedlings. The Mg content of needles was reduced to levels considered to be critical for Mg deficiency. In investigations of {sup 45}Ca uptake into roots, exposure to Al at 100-800 {mu}mol/dm{sup 3} reduced {sup 45}Ca uptake by 77-92%, respectively. By using x-ray microanalysis, the distribution of Al, Mg, Ca, and K was found to be similar in roots of Picea abies seedlings grown in solution culture and in roots collected from declining spruce stands at Solling, F.R.G. In solution culture Al displaced Mg and Ca in the root cortex. A mechanism of Al toxicity for root growth and ion uptake is proposed, and its relevance to forest decline is discussed.

• OSTI ID: 5559171
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA), Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA) Vol. 85:11; ISSN PNASA; ISSN 0027-8424
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550602 -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALUMINIUM CHLORIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALCIUM 45
CALCIUM ISOTOPES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FORESTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
MICROANALYSIS
NUCLEI
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
ROOT ABSORPTION
ROOTS
SEEDLINGS
TOXICITY
UPTAKE
X RADIATION