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Biomass of Speckled Alder on an Air-Polluted Mountain Site and its Response to Fertilization

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Abstract

The article summarizes outcomes of a biomass study conducted in a young speckled alder plantation on a cold mountain site. At this location, the previously existing old forest was clear felled because of damage from air pollution, and present-day surface humus is in need of restoration. The intention of this study was to quantify the biomass and nutrients accumulated by alders and their components and assess whether the initial fertilization resulted in increased biomass production and nutrient accumulation in the biomass. Besides the control, two fertilized treatments were installed. In the surface treatment (SUT), the amendment was applied as a base dressing in small circles around trees. In the planting-hole treatment (PHT), the amendment was incorporated into soil inside the planting holes. Five growth seasons after planting and fertilization, six alders from each treatment were harvested including roots. Their biomass was quantified and analyzed for macroelements. The greatest pool of dry mass (DM) was branches in the control and stem wood in the fertilized treatments. The greatest pools of macroelements were leaves and branches. The most pronounced effects of fertilization were recorded in the DM and consequently in the absolute quantities of nutrients. The DM of an average tree in the control, SUT, and PHT was 85, 226, and 231 g, respectively. The absolute contents of nutrients per tree in the fertilized treatments showed the following increases, as compared with the control: (N) 2.5–2.6 times; (P) 1.6–2.4 times; (K) 1.8–2.1 times; and (Mg) 1.8–2.0 times, respectively. Speckled alder responded positively to fertilization.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the National Agency for Agricultural Research (Research Project No. NAZV QH92087), Czech University of Life Sciences (Research Projects No. CIGA 20114314 and CIGA 20124304), and Nadace pro záchranu a obnovu Jizerských hor Foundation (Research Projects ZGP 05/2006 and 090105). Thanks are accorded to W. Keith Moser (Society of American Foresters, USA) and Angela Hitchen (Lic. Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators, UK) for proofreading of the manuscript. The study was conducted on the Jizerka research plot established by Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady. The sample trees were processed in Truba Research Station (Department of Silviculture, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague). Chemical analyses were conducted in the Tomáš Laboratory, Opočno.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21, Praha 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic

    Ivan Kuneš, Martin Baláš, Tereza Koňasová, Kateřina Bednářová Millerová, Daniel Zahradník & Jan Vítámvás

  2. Forest Research Station Opočno, Forestry and Game Management Research Institute Jíloviště – Strnady (Prague), Na Olivě 550, 517 73 Opočno, Czech Republic

    Ondřej Špulák, Vratislav Balcar & Dušan Kacálek

  3. Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic

    Michal Jakl

  4. Rectorate, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic

    Jaroslava Št́astná

  5. Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Praha 6, Czech Republic

    Jana Jaklová Dytrtová

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  1. Ivan Kuneš
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Correspondence to Ivan Kuneš.

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Kuneš, I., Baláš, M., Koňasová, T. et al. Biomass of Speckled Alder on an Air-Polluted Mountain Site and its Response to Fertilization. Environmental Management 54, 1421–1433 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0359-y

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