Abstract
The influence of base cation concentrations on pH and aluminium sensitivity of the woodland grasses Bromus benekenii and Hordelymus europaeus was studied in flowing solution culture experiments. Plants were exposed to low pH (3.9, experiment 1) and Al concentrations of 19 and 37 μM (experiment 2) at two base cation (Ca+Mg+K) levels, all within the ranges measured in natural forest soil solutions. Elevated base cation concentrations ameliorated both H and Al toxicity, as indicated by increased root and shoot growth. In the third experiment, interactions between pH (4.3 and 4.0) and Al (0 and 19 μM) were investigated. It was shown that the combined toxicity effects of H and Al were not greater than the separate H or Al effects. Tissue concentrations of base cations and Al increased with increasing concentrations in the solution, but were also influenced by the base cation : Al ratio. Relating the experimental evidence with the composition of forest soil solutions suggests an important role of soil pH and Al in controlling the distribution of the two species. Growth conditions also differ at various soil depths. Concentrations of free cationic Al were higher and base cation concentrations lower at 5–10 cm than at 0–5 cm soil depth. Increasing base cation concentrations may protect roots from both H and Al injury during periods of drought when concentrations of most elements increase in the soil solution, whereas molar ratios between base cations, H and Al remain unchanged.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersson, M E 1992 Effects of pH and aluminium on growth of Galium odoratum (L.) Scop. in flowing solution culture. Environ. Exp. Bot. 32, 497–504.
Andersson, M E and Brunet, J 1993 Sensitivity to H- and Al ions limiting growth and distribution of the woodland grass Bromus benekenii. Plant and Soil 153, 243–254.
Beyme, B, Springob, G and Richter, J 1987 Veranderungen der Ionenkonzentration der Bodenlösung bei intensiv genutzten Braunerden der Geest im niederschlagreichen Sommer 1984. Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Bodenkd. 150, 406–411.
Blamey, F P C, Asher, C J, Kerven, G L and Edwards, D G 1993 Factors affecting aluminium sorption by calcium pectate. Plant and Soil 149, 87–94.
Brunet, J and Neymark, M 1992 Importance of soil acidity to the distribution of rare forest grasses in south Sweden. Flora 187, 317–326.
Clarke, N, Danielsson, L G and Sparén, A 1992 The determination of quickly reacting aluminium in natural waters by kinetic discrimination in a flow system. Int. J. Environm. Anal. Chem. 48, 77–100.
Clarkson, D T 1985 Factors affecting mineral nutrient acquisition by plants. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 36, 77–115.
Ellenberg, H 1991 Zeigerwerte der Gefäßpflanzen. Scripta Geobot. 18, 9–166.
Falkengren-Grerup, U 1987 Long-term changes in pH of forest soils in southern Sweden. Env. Pollut. 43, 79–90.
Falkengren-Grerup, U, Linnermark, N and Tyler, G 1987 Changes in acidity and cation pools of south Swedish soils between 1949 and 1985. Chemosphere 16, 2239–2248.
Falkengren-Grerup, U and Tyler, G 1991 Changes of cation pools of the topsoil in south Swedish beech forests between 1979 and 1989. Scand. J. For. Res. 6, 145–152.
Falkengren-Grerup, U and Tyler, G 1992 Chemical conditions limiting survival and growth of Galium odoratum (L.) Scop. in acid forest soil. Acta Oecol. 13, 169–180.
Falkengren-Grerup, U and Tyler, G 1993a The importance of soil acidity, moisture, exchangeable cation pools and organic matter solubility to the cationic composition of beech forest (Fagus sylvatica L.) soil solution. Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Bodenkd. 156, 365–370.
Falkengren-Grerup, U and Tyler, G 1993b Soil chemical properties excluding field layer species from beech forest mor. Plant and Soil 148, 185–191.
Giesler, R and Lundström, U 1990 Centrifugation method for soil and its influence on the soil solution. Physical and chemical aspects. Department of Forest Site Research, University of Agriculture, Umea, Sweden.
Grauer, U E and Horst, W J 1990 Effect of pH and nitrogen source on aluminium tolerance of rye (Secale cereale L.) and yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.). Plant and Soil 127, 13–21.
John, M K 1970 Colorimetric determination of phosphorus in soil and plant materials with ascorbic acid. Soil Sci. 109, 214–220.
Kinraide, T B 1991 Identity of the rhizotoxic aluminium species. Plant and Soil 134, 167–178.
Kinraide, T B and Parker, D R 1987 Cation amelioration of aluminum toxicity in wheat. Plant Physiol. 83, 546–551.
Marschner, H 1991 Mechanisms of adaptation of plants to acid soils. Plant and Soil 134, 1–20.
Matsumoto, H, Yamamoto, Y and Kasai, M 1992 Changes of some properties of the plasma membrane-enriched fraction of barley roots related to aluminum stress: membrane-associated ATPase, aluminum and calcium. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 38, 411–419.
Oberdorfer, E 1990 Pflanzensoziologische Exkursionsflora. 062 6th ed. Ulmer, Stuttgart. 1050 p.
Rengel, Z 1990 Net Mg2+ uptake in relation to the amount of exchangeable Mg2+ in the Donnan free space of ryegrass roots. Plant and Soil 128, 185–189.
Rengel, Z 1992 Role of calcium in aluminium toxicity. New Phytol. 121, 499–513.
Rengel, Z and Robinson, D L 1989 Aluminum and plant age effects on adsorption of cations in the Donnan free space of ryegrass roots. Plant and Soil 116, 223–227.
Runge, M and Rode, M W 1991 Effects of soil acidity on plant associations. In Soil Acidity. Eds. B Ulrich and M E Sumner. pp 183–202. Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Staaf, H 1992 Performance of some field-layer vegetation species introduced into an acid beech forest with mor soil. Acta Oecol. 13, 753–765.
Tan, K, Keltjens, W G and Findenegg, G R 1992 Aluminium toxicity with sorghum genotypes in nutrient solutions and its amelioration by magnesium. Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Bodenkd. 155, 81–86.
Tyler, G 1993 Soil solution chemistry controlling the field distribution of Melica ciliata L. Ann. Bot. 71, 295–301.
Weimarck, H and Weimarck, G 1985 Atlas över Skanes flora. Förlagstjänsten, Stockholm. 640 p.
Zar, J H 1984 Biostatistical Analysis, 2nd ed. Prentice-Hall International, London. 718 p.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brunet, J. Interacting effects of pH, aluminium and base cations on growth and mineral composition of the woodland grasses Bromus benekenii and Hordelymus europaeus . Plant Soil 161, 157–166 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00046387
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00046387