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Beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedling growth and nutrition - effects of acid soils and liming

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to elucidate why beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings grow poorly on acid soils, and to test if liming and phosphate addition can improve their growth and survival. Pot experiments were carried out with natural soils, differing regarding the acidity regime. A field experiment with dolomitic lime and phosphate fertilizer was conducted in naturally regenerating beech stands. Two predictions derived from the concept of steady state nutrition were tested viz. the relative growth rates of plant parts and the relative uptake rates of nutrients are equal. Aluminium toxicity did not seem to cause the slow growth and the increased mortality observed in some of the acid soils studied. An inability to take up phosphorus was demonstrated for the eluvial horizon in a podzol. This may be the cause of reduced growth and damage symptoms of beech seedlings in acid soils. The low phosphorus uptake might be explained by interaction effects involving acidity, iron and organic compounds. Further investigations are needed on the interactions between acidity, phosphorus uptake, organic compounds, iron and aluminium. Dolomitic lime treatment did not improve either the survival or the growth of naturally established beech seedlings on acid brown soil and podzol.  More>>
Authors:
Publication Date:
Dec 31, 1994
Product Type:
Thesis/Dissertation
Report Number:
LUNBDS-NBBE-94-1043
Reference Number:
SCA: 560300; 540220; PA: SWD-95:007009; EDB-95:031873; SN: 95001320496
Resource Relation:
Other Information: TH: Doctoral Diss. (FD); PBD: 1994
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ACIDIFICATION; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; LIMING; PLANT GROWTH; BEECH TREES; SEEDLINGS; SOILS; NUTRITION; FERTILIZERS; PH VALUE; ALUMINIUM; PHOSPHATES; PHOSPHORUS; IRON; TOXICITY; BIOMASS; 560300; 540220; CHEMICALS METABOLISM AND TOXICOLOGY; CHEMICALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
OSTI ID:
10114499
Research Organizations:
Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Ecology
Country of Origin:
Sweden
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE95737654; ISBN 91-7105-053-1; TRN: SE9507009
Availability:
OSTI; NTIS
Submitting Site:
SWD
Size:
19 p.
Announcement Date:
Jun 30, 2005

Citation Formats

Ljungstroem, M. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedling growth and nutrition - effects of acid soils and liming. Sweden: N. p., 1994. Web.
Ljungstroem, M. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedling growth and nutrition - effects of acid soils and liming. Sweden.
Ljungstroem, M. 1994. "Beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedling growth and nutrition - effects of acid soils and liming." Sweden.
@misc{etde_10114499,
title = {Beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedling growth and nutrition - effects of acid soils and liming}
author = {Ljungstroem, M}
abstractNote = {The purpose of this investigation was to elucidate why beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings grow poorly on acid soils, and to test if liming and phosphate addition can improve their growth and survival. Pot experiments were carried out with natural soils, differing regarding the acidity regime. A field experiment with dolomitic lime and phosphate fertilizer was conducted in naturally regenerating beech stands. Two predictions derived from the concept of steady state nutrition were tested viz. the relative growth rates of plant parts and the relative uptake rates of nutrients are equal. Aluminium toxicity did not seem to cause the slow growth and the increased mortality observed in some of the acid soils studied. An inability to take up phosphorus was demonstrated for the eluvial horizon in a podzol. This may be the cause of reduced growth and damage symptoms of beech seedlings in acid soils. The low phosphorus uptake might be explained by interaction effects involving acidity, iron and organic compounds. Further investigations are needed on the interactions between acidity, phosphorus uptake, organic compounds, iron and aluminium. Dolomitic lime treatment did not improve either the survival or the growth of naturally established beech seedlings on acid brown soil and podzol. However, the treatments increased foliar calcium, magnesium and phosphorus concentration, but reduced that of potassium. 53 refs, 2 figs, 2 tabs}
place = {Sweden}
year = {1994}
month = {Dec}
}