Tolerance of red oak American and European beech seedlings to aluminum
- Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL (United States)
- Coll. of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY (United States)
The effect of aluminum (Al) on the growth of red oak (Quercus rubra L.), American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings was studied in solution culture containing from 0 to 3,000 {mu}M Al at pH 4.0. Aluminum had no detrimental effect on biomass of shoots of red oak and American beech. Shoot biomass of European beech was significantly reduced by Al, with greater reductions measured for seedlings grown in lower ionic-strength media. Root biomass of species did not decline with increasing Al, and actually increased in some Al treatments. Generally, Ca, Mg, and P tissue concentrations of leaves and roots decreased with increasing solution Al for all three species. Even at the lowest solution Al concentration, 500 {mu}M, significant reductions relative to the controls were measured. Of the elements measured, P appeared to be the most strongly correlated with shoot biomass response, having r values of 0.87 and 0.98 for American beech and European beech, respectively. Results from these studies indicate that the risk of direct effects of toxic soil solution Al concentrations on growth of red oak and American beech seedlings is low. However, soil solution concentrations of 500 {mu}M have been reported in Europe and these correspond to the Al level found to significantly reduce shoot biomass of European beech in this study.
- OSTI ID:
- 5997618
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States) Vol. 18:4; ISSN JEVQA; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
BEECH TREES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CALCIUM
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
LEAVES
MAGNESIUM
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
METALS
NONMETALS
OAKS
PH VALUE
PHOSPHORUS
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
ROOT ABSORPTION
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TREES
UPTAKE