Abstract
In September, 1988, a paper mill sludge from Georgia-Pacific Corporation's wastewater treatment facility in Port Edwards, WI., was applied to a 4- and 6-year-old red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) plantation. Sludge was applied using industrial spreaders at rates of 0, 10, 20 and 40 Mg ha-1. Twenty-one months following treatment, above-ground biomass production of sedge (Carex spp.), the predominant understory component, was increased by as much as 85% from the 40 Mg ha-1 rate relative to the control. The increase in dry matter production coincided with significant increases in above- and below-ground levels of N, P and K. Weed control performed in August, 1989, resulted in reduced levels of woody and herbaceous vegetation, without a concomitant effect on red pine performance. Possible reasons for this lack of response are discussed within this paper.
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Young, M.J., Johnson, J.E. & Thiel, D.A. Effects of paper mill sludge and weed control on competing vegetation and growth of young red pine. New Forest 7, 345–361 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036754
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036754