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Effects of pre-harvest soil acidification, liming and N fertilization on the survival, growth and needle element concentrations of Picea abies L. Karst. seedlings

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Abstract

There are concerns that the anthropogenic acidification of Swedish forest soils may have severe effects on forest yield, and it has been suggested that liming could be used to counter this problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the survival, growth and element concentrations of C+1 needles of Picea abies (L.) Karst. seedlings planted on plots that had been acidified (in 12 annual treatments totalling 600 or 1200 kg S ha−1 in the form of elemental sulphur), limed (12×500=6000 kg lime ha−1 in the form of CaCO3) or N-fertilized (3×200=600 kg N ha−1 in the form of urea) prior to harvest. Seedlings growing on plots given a combination of the N plus low S treatments were also tested. None of the treatments, given to triplicate plots, significantly influenced seedling survival during the first five growing seasons. Furthermore, none of the treatments significantly affected growth, although the average growth rate was slightly higher for limed plots. The survival and growth of the seedlings are discussed in relation to differences in the cover of field-layer vegetation between the treatments after the final felling. Needles from seedlings in the limed plots showed significantly lower concentrations of Mn and Al, and higher concentrations of Ca and Zn compared with needles from seedlings in the other plots (i.e. control, high S or N-treated). The K concentration in the needles was significantly higher in limed plots than in high-S plots. Changes of element concentrations observed in the soil, associated with the treatments, where in some cases reflected in the needle concentrations.

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  1. SkogForsk (The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden), Uppsala Science Park, S-751 83, Uppsala, Sweden

    Ulf Sikström

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Sikström, U. Effects of pre-harvest soil acidification, liming and N fertilization on the survival, growth and needle element concentrations of Picea abies L. Karst. seedlings. Plant and Soil 231, 255–266 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010390931645

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