Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of soil properties on the growth of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) in Denmark

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Forest Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Despite high demand on the timber, sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) covers only about 2% of the forested area in Denmark, mainly because several examples of failed stands have made foresters reluctant to grow sycamore. In order to optimize the use of sycamore, scientifically based knowledge is needed on the specific demands of sycamore to soil properties. Therefore, 34 stands of sycamore covering a broad range of soil types, tree heights and ages were investigated. Tree height and age were determined on 20 trees in each stand and combined into a site index. In each stand, soil water status, slope and ground cover were determined and soil samples were taken and analyzed for pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, calcium carbonate, bulk density and texture in the laboratory. The data were analyzed by simple regression supplemented by PCA and MLR. Accordingly, sycamore can grow well on a broad range of soils regarding texture and water content. However, soils with stagnant water within 40 cm of the soil surface are unsuited for sycamore. On well-drained soils, increasing clay content caused better sycamore growth, which was also improved on insufficiently drained soils with calcium carbonate. Increased nitrogen content stimulated sycamore growth while, less productive stands occurred on carbon rich soils indicating that carbon and nitrogen contents can serve as sycamore growth indicators. Bulk density, C/N ratio and pH showed no significant influence on growth. The investigation showed that sycamore could grow well on a broader range of soils than hitherto believed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abell J (1948) Ær—Contra Bøg. Forstlig Budstikke. 8.årgang. Nr. 17. Dansk Skovforening, København

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes BV, Zak DR, Denton SR, Spurr SH (1998) Forest ecology. 4th edn, Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady NC, Weil RR (1999) The Nature and properties of soils. 12th edn, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremner JM (1996) Nitrogen—total. In: Sparks DL (eds) Methods of soil analysis, Part 3, Chemical methods. Soil Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 1085–1121

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown J, Nisbet J (1894) The Forester. A practical treatise on the planning of forest trees and the general management of Woodland Estates. 6th edn, vol I + II. William Blackwood, London

  • Callesen I, Liski J, Raulund-Rasmussen K, Olsson MT, Tau-Strand L, Vesterdal L. Westman CJ (2003) Soil carbon stores in Nordic well-drained forest soils—relationsships with climate and texture class. Global Change Biol 9:358–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claessens H, Pauwels D, Thibaut A, Rondeux J (1999) Site index curves and autecology of ash, sycamore and cherry in Wallonia (Southern Belgium). Forestry 72(3):171–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dansk Skovforening (2006) [Quoted from the internet 17 July 2006]. http://www.skovforeningen.dk/default.asp?m=165

  • Day PR (1965) Particle fractionation and particle size analysis. In: Black CA (ed) Methods of soil analysis, Part 1. Agronomy No. 9, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 545–567

    Google Scholar 

  • Diaci J (2002) Regeneration dynamics in a Norway spruce plantation on silver fir-beech forest site in the Slovenian Alps. For Ecol. Manage 161:27–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ELTRA (1995) CS5000 Simultaneous Carbon/Sulphur determinator. ELTRA GmbH, Neuss, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Esbensen KH (2001) Multivariate Data Analysis—in practice. 5th edn. Camo Process AS, Oslo

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO (1990) Guidelines for soil description. 3rdedn. Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Gloser V, Gloser J (2000) Nitrogen and base cation uptake in seedlings of Acer pseudoplatanus and Calamagrostis villosa exposed to an acidified environment. Plant Soil 226:71–77

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gundersen P, Callesen I, De Vries W (1998). Nitrate leaching in forest ecosystems is controlled by forest floor C/N ratio. Environ. Pollut 102:403–407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen NPD (1983) Ærdyrkning—Specielt med henblik på Sjælland og Lolland-Falster. Dansk Skovforenings Tidsskrift, Nr. 68. Dansk Skovforening, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen NPD (1984) Ærdyrkning—Specielt med henblik på Sjælland og Lolland-Falster. Afsnit 2. Dansk Skovforenings Tidsskrift, Nr. 69. Dansk Skovforening, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadunc A, Kotar M (2006) Factors influencing growth of mature sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L) on carbonate bedrock. Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva 78:97–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Kjølby W (1938) Ær og Løn. Stor opgave. Den Kgl. Veterinær- og Landbohøjskole, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    Google Scholar 

  • Kjølby W (1958) Naturhistorie, tilvækst og hugst. In: Ær (Acer Pseudoplatanus). Dansk Skovforening, Copenhagen, pp 5–126

  • Köstler JC, Brückner E, Bibelriether H (1968) Die Wurzeln der Waldbäume. Untersuchungen zur Morphologie der Waldbäume in Mitteleuropa. Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemoine D, Peltier J-P, Marigo G (2001) Comparative studies of the water relations and the hydraulic characteristics in Fraxinus excelcior, Acer pseudoplatanus and A. opalus trees under soil water contrasted conditions. Ann Forest Sci 58:723–731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mackie-Dawson LA, Millard P, Proe MF (1995) The effect of nitrogen supply on root growth and development in sycamore and sitka spruce trees. Forestry 68(2):107–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madsen HB, Nøhr AH, Holst KAa (1992) Atlas of Denmark. Series I, Volume 3, The Danish soil classification. The Royal Danish Geographical Society, Reitzels Forlag, Copenhagen

  • Matyssek R (1996) Biologie und Ökologie des Bergahorn (Acer pseudoplatanus L.). Diplomarbeit an der Forstwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität München in Freisig-Weihenstephan. Freisig. Deutschland

    Google Scholar 

  • Mikkelsen VM (1980) Planteøkologi og danske plantesamfund. 3. forøgede udgave. DSR Forlag, Frederiksberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Miljøministeriet (2006) Skov & Natur i tal 2006. Skov & Naturstyrelsen, Miljøministeriet, Copenhagen, Denmark. [Quoted from the internet 15 November 2007]. http://www.skovognatur.dk/Udgivelser/2006/tal2006.htm

  • Modrý M, Hubený D, Rejsek K (2004) Differential response of naturally regenerated European shade tolerant tree species to soil type and light availability. For Ecol Manage 188:185–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Møberg JP, Petersen L, Rasmussen K (1988) Constituents of some widely distributed soils in Denmark. Geoderma 42:295–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Møller CM (1965) Vore Skovtræarter og deres dyrkning. Dansk Skovforening, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • Neirynck J, Mirtcheva S, Sioen G, Lust N (2000) Impact of Tilia platyphyllos Scop., Fraxinus excelcior L., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Quercus robur L. and Fagus sylvatica L. on earthworm biomass and physico-chemical properties of a loamy topsoil. For Ecol Manage 133:275–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pages J-H, Michalet R (2003) A test of the indirect facilitation model in a temperate hardwood forest of the northern French Alps. J Ecol 91:932–940

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rowell DL (1994) Soil Science: Method and Applications. Longman, Singapore

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharling M (2000) Klimagrid–Danmark. Normaler 1961–90. Måneds- og års værdier. Technical Report 00–11. Danish Meteorological Institute, Ministry of Transport, Denmark. [Quoted from the internet 15 November 2007] http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/index/viden/dmi-publikationer/tekniskerapporter/tekniske_rapporter-2000.htm

  • Sendtner O (1854) Die Vegetations-verhältnisse des Bayerischen Waldes nach den Grundsätzen der Pflanzengeographie geschildert von Otto Sendtner. Literarissc-artistische Anstalt, München

    Google Scholar 

  • Soil Survey Staff (1999) Keys to soil taxonomy. 8th edn, Pocahontas Press, Blacksburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Sundberg PS, Callesen I, Greve MH, Raulund-Rasmussen K (1999) Danske jordbundsprofiler. Danmarks Jordbrugsforskning, Foulum

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen P, Dalsgaard K (1997) Vejledning i forstlig lokalitetskortlægning. Geologisk Institut, Aarhus Universitet, Denmark

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas GW (1996) Soil pH and soil acidity. In: Sparks DL (eds) Methods of soil analysis, Part 3, chemical methods. Soil Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 475–490

    Google Scholar 

  • Tillisch E (2001) Æren trænger sig frem–50 år efter Abell. Dansk Skovbrugs Tidsskrift. 86. årgang, hæfte 1. Dansk Skovforening, Frederiksberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Gelderen DM, de Jong PC, Oterdoom HJ (1994) Maples of the world. Timber Press, Oregon

    Google Scholar 

  • Vejre H, Callesen I, Vesterdal L, Raulund-Rasmussen K (2003) Carbon and nitrogen in Danish forest soils-contents and distribution determined by soil order. Soil Sci Soc Am J 67:335–343

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vesterdal L, Raulund-Rasmussen K (1998) Forest floor chemistry under seven tree species along a soil fertility gradient. Can J For Res 28:1636–1647

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang GG (1995) White spruce site index in relation to soil, understory vegetation, and foliar nutrients. Can J For Res 25:29–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber G, Bahr B (2000) Wachstum und Ernährungszustand junger Eschen (Fraxinus excelsior L) und Bergahorne (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) auf Sturmwurfflächen in Bayern in Abhängigkeit vom Standort. Forstw Cbl 119:177–192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weber-Blaschke G, Claus M, Rehfuess KE (2002) Growth and nutrition of ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) on soils of different base saturations in pot experiments. For Ecol Manage 167:43–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zas R, Alonso M (2002) Understory vegetation as indicator of soil characteristics in northwest Spain. For Ecol Manage 171:101–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was partly financed by Vemmetofte Kloster forest district and Sigurd Tovborg Jensens grant. The authors are indebted to PhD Mogens H. Greve, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark for the map in Fig. 1.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Copenhagen Recycling Center, Selinevej 2, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark

    J. K. Jensen

  2. Centre for Advanced Food Studies, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    L. H. Rasmussen

  3. Forest and Landscape, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    K. Raulund-Rasmussen

  4. Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    J. K. Jensen & O. K. Borggaard

Authors
  1. J. K. Jensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. H. Rasmussen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Raulund-Rasmussen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. O. K. Borggaard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. K. Jensen.

Additional information

Communicated by A. Merino.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jensen, J.K., Rasmussen, L.H., Raulund-Rasmussen, K. et al. Influence of soil properties on the growth of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) in Denmark. Eur J Forest Res 127, 263–274 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-008-0202-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-008-0202-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation