Effects of excess nitrogen deposition and soil acidification on sugar maple (Acer saccharum) in Ontario, Canada: an experimental study

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas C Hutchinson ◽  
Shaun A Watmough ◽  
Eric PS Sager ◽  
Jim D Karagatzides
Keyword(s):  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Soil Leachate ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
The Impact

The impact of an acidifying fertilizer on litter decomposition, root mycorrhizae, and soil and tree chemistry was assessed in two hardwood forests in central Ontario, Canada. Soil beneath mature sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) trees was treated with (NH4)2SO4 granules at application rates of 0, 250, 500, and 1000 kg/ha in May of each year between 1993 and 1994 at Dorset and between 1993 and 1995 at Loring. The fertilizer treatments did not cause visual symptoms of forest decline. At Dorset, SO4 and cation concentrations in soil leachate increased, but no difference in soil pH between treatments was found. An increase in foliar N was recorded at Dorset in treated plots, although there were no other differences in foliar or tree ring chemistry between treatments. At Loring, a decrease in soil pH and an increase in SO4 in soil leachate were found in treated plots. Mycorrhizal infection and litter decomposition were also reduced in plots treated with (NH4)2SO4. Fertilizer application at Loring led to increases in foliar concentrations of N, Mg, Mn, and Cd, along with increases in concentrations of trace metals (As, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Zn) in tree rings formed during fertilizer application. Significant positive correlations (p < 0.05) were found between wood (rings formed between 1993 and 1995) and foliage (mean of 1993-1995 values) for Mg, Mn, and Al. Deliberate acidification of surface soil resulted in changes in wood and foliar chemistry, although it remains to be established whether acidification of surface soil is responsible for the reported decline in sugar maple.

Silicon fertilizer and biochar effects on plant and soil PhytOC concentration and soil PhytOC stability and fractionation in subtropical bamboo plantations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengpeng Huang ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Xiaoqiang Gong ◽  
Zhangting Huang ◽  
Miaorong Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Moso Bamboo ◽  
Pool Size ◽  
Phyllostachys Pubescens ◽  
Soil System ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil Organic Nitrogen ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
The Impact

&lt;p&gt;The use of exogenous silicon (Si) amendments, such as Si fertilizers and biochar, can effectively increase crop Si uptake and the formation of phytoliths, which are siliceous substances that are abundant in numerous plant species. Phytolith-occluded carbon (C) (PhytOC) accumulation in soil plays an important role in long-term soil organic C (SOC) storage. Nevertheless, the effects of both Si fertilizer and biochar application on PhytOC sequestration in forest plant-soil systems have not been studied. We investigated the impact of Si fertilizer and biochar applications on 1) the PhytOC pool size, the solubility of plant and soil phytoliths, and soil PhytOC in soil physical fractions (light (LFOM) and heavy fractions of organic matter (HFOM)) in Moso bamboo (&lt;em&gt;Phyllostachys pubescens&lt;/em&gt;) forests; and 2) the relationships among plant and soil PhytOC concentrations and soil properties. We used a factorial design with three Si fertilizer application rates: 0 (S0), 225 (S1) and 450 (S2) kg Si ha&lt;sup&gt;&amp;#8722;1&lt;/sup&gt;, and two biochar application rates: 0 (B0) and 10 (B1) t ha&lt;sup&gt;&amp;#8722;1&lt;/sup&gt;. The concentrations of PhytOC in the bamboo plants and topsoil (0&amp;#8211;10 cm) increased with increasing Si fertilizer addition, regardless of biochar application. Biochar addition increased the soil PhytOC pool size, as well as the LFOM- and HFOM-PhytOC fractions, regardless of Si fertilizer application. The Si fertilizer application increased or had no effect on soil phytolith solubility with or without biochar application, respectively. Soil PhytOC was correlated with the concentration of soil organic nitrogen (R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;=0.32), SOC (R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;=0.51), pH (R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;=0.28), and available Si (R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;=0.23). Furthermore, Si fertilizer application increased plant and soil PhytOC by increasing soil available Si. Moreover, biochar application increased soil PhytOC concentration in LFOM-PhytOC and the unstable fraction of PhytOC. We conclude that Si fertilizer and biochar application promoted PhytOC sequestration in the plant-soil system and changed its distribution in physical fractions in the Moso bamboo plantation in subtropical China.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Quantifying N2O emissions from intensive grassland production: the role of synthetic fertilizer type, application rate, timing and nitrification inhibitors

2016 ◽  
Vol 154 (5) ◽  
pp. 812-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. BELL ◽  
J. M. CLOY ◽  
C. F. E. TOPP ◽  
B. C. BALL ◽  
A. BAGNALL ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Urea Fertilizer ◽  
Mitigation Options ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ipcc Default

SUMMARYIncreasing recognition of the extent to which nitrous oxide (N2O) contributes to climate change has resulted in greater demand to improve quantification of N2O emissions, identify emission sources and suggest mitigation options. Agriculture is by far the largest source and grasslands, occupying c. 0·22 of European agricultural land, are a major land-use within this sector. The application of mineral fertilizers to optimize pasture yields is a major source of N2O and with increasing pressure to increase agricultural productivity, options to quantify and reduce emissions whilst maintaining sufficient grassland for a given intensity of production are required. Identification of the source and extent of emissions will help to improve reporting in national inventories, with the most common approach using the IPCC emission factor (EF) default, where 0·01 of added nitrogen fertilizer is assumed to be emitted directly as N2O. The current experiment aimed to establish the suitability of applying this EF to fertilized Scottish grasslands and to identify variation in the EF depending on the application rate of ammonium nitrate (AN). Mitigation options to reduce N2O emissions were also investigated, including the use of urea fertilizer in place of AN, addition of a nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) and application of AN in smaller, more frequent doses. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured from a cut grassland in south-west Scotland from March 2011 to March 2012. Grass yield was also measured to establish the impact of mitigation options on grass production, along with soil and environmental variables to improve understanding of the controls on N2O emissions. A monotonic increase in annual cumulative N2O emissions was observed with increasing AN application rate. Emission factors ranging from 1·06–1·34% were measured for AN application rates between 80 and 320 kg N/ha, with a mean of 1·19%. A lack of any significant difference between these EFs indicates that use of a uniform EF is suitable over these application rates. The mean EF of 1·19% exceeds the IPCC default 1%, suggesting that use of the default value may underestimate emissions of AN-fertilizer-induced N2O loss from Scottish grasslands. The increase in emissions beyond an application rate of 320 kg N/ha produced an EF of 1·74%, significantly different to that from lower application rates and much greater than the 1% default. An EF of 0·89% for urea fertilizer and 0·59% for urea with DCD suggests that N2O quantification using the IPCC default EF will overestimate emissions for grasslands where these fertilizers are applied. Large rainfall shortly after fertilizer application appears to be the main trigger for N2O emissions, thus applicability of the 1% EF could vary and depend on the weather conditions at the time of fertilizer application.

scholarly journals Effects of Non-Industrial Wood Ash (NIWA) Applications on Soil Chemistry and Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum, Marsh.) Seedling Growth in an Acidic Sugar Bush in Central Ontario

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 693
Author(s):  
Holly D. Deighton ◽  
Shaun A. Watmough
Keyword(s):  
Forest Soil ◽  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Soil Chemistry ◽  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Soil Amendment ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Base Cation ◽  
Yellow Birch ◽  
Metal Concentrations

Research Highlights: In central Ontario, large quantities of non-industrial wood ash (NIWA) are generated and could be used as a forest soil amendment to counteract soil acidification and base cation depletion caused by decades of acid deposition. Background and Objectives: The properties and biogeochemical responses of NIWA have not been thoroughly explored, and field experiments must be conducted before NIWA can be regulated as a forest soil amendment in Ontario. Materials and Methods: In this study, soil chemistry and sugar maple (Acer saccharum, Marsh.) seedling growth and chemistry were measured in an acidic sugar bush over twelve months following a NIWA field experiment. Plots (2 m by 2 m) were established with sugar maple, white pine (Pinus strobus L.), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) NIWA treatments applied at rates of 6 Mg ha−1 along with untreated control plots. Results: Ash chemistry varied significantly among species and yellow birch ash generally had much higher metal concentrations compared with other species. Following ash application, significant increases in soil pH and calcium and magnesium concentrations were observed, however the level of response varied by treatment. Foliar concentrations of base cations in sugar maple seedlings significantly increased in ash treatments and there was no significant treatment effect on foliar metal concentrations or seedling growth. In roots and shoots, concentrations of several metals (manganese, aluminum, iron, boron, arsenic, cadmium, zinc, copper, lead, chromium, and nickel) increased after ash application, however response was most pronounced in yellow birch ash. Conclusions: These results suggest that application of NIWA can counteract the lasting effects of acid rain by increasing soil pH and base cation concentrations, as well as increasing sugar maple seedling foliar nutrient concentrations, but ashes from species with high metal contents may also increase metal availability to vegetation, at least in the short-term.

scholarly journals Changing Fertilizer Management Practices in Sugarcane Production: Cane Grower Survey Insights

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syezlin Hasan ◽  
James C. R. Smart ◽  
Rachel Hay ◽  
Sharyn Rundle-Thiele
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Fertilizer Management ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Fertilizer Application Rate ◽  
The Impact

Research focused on understanding wider systemic factors driving behavioral change is limited with a dominant focus on the role of individual farmer and psychosocial factors for farming practice change, including reducing fertilizer application in agriculture. Adopting a wider systems perspective, the current study examines change and the role that supporting services have on fertilizer application rate change. A total of 238 sugarcane growers completed surveys reporting on changes in fertilizer application along with factors that may explain behavior change. Logistic regressions and negative binomial count-data regressions were used to examine whether farmers had changed fertilizer application rates and if they had, how long ago they made the change, and to explore the impact of individual and system factors in influencing change. Approximately one in three sugarcane growers surveyed (37%) had changed the method they used to calculate fertilizer application rates for the cane land they owned/managed at some point. Logistic regression results indicated growers were less likely to change the basis for their fertilizer calculation if they regarded maintaining good relationships with other local growers as being extremely important, they had another source of off-farm income, and if they had not attended a government-funded fertilizer management workshop in the five years preceding the survey. Similar drivers promoted early adoption of fertilizer practice change; namely, regarding family traditions and heritage as being unimportant, having sole decision-making authority on farming activities and having attended up to 5 workshops in the five years prior to completing the survey. Results demonstrated the influence of government-funded services to support practice change.

scholarly journals Measuring changes in stress and vitality indicators in limed sugar maple on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central Pennsylvania

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 629-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip M Wargo ◽  
Rakesh Minocha ◽  
Betty L Wong ◽  
Robert P Long ◽  
Stephen B Horsley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
North Central ◽  
Tree Vitality ◽  
Molar Ratios ◽  
Central Pennsylvania ◽  
Allegheny Plateau ◽  
Highly Correlated

A study established in 1985 in north-central Pennsylvania to determine effects of lime fertilization on declining sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) was evaluated in 1993 and showed that liming positively affected growth and crown vitality in sugar maple. This effect of lime on sugar maple offered an opportunity to assess other indicators of tree vitality and their response to lime additions. Foliar polyamines, starch and soluble sugars in root tissues, and cambial electrical resistance (CER) at breast height were evaluated. Foliar putrescine, soluble sugars, and CER decreased, while starch increased in lime-treated trees. Changes in these indicators were correlated with tree growth and crown vitality, which improved in limed plots. However, they were more highly correlated with lime-induced changes in foliar and soil elements and soil pH. Putrescine, soluble sugars, and CER decreased and starch increased, as Ca and Mg and molar ratios of Ca/Al and Mg/Mn increased and as Al and Mn decreased in both soil and foliage, and as soil pH increased. Results showed the beneficial effect of lime on tree vitality that was not reflected in visual assessments of crown vitality and demonstrated the potential utility of these physiological and biochemical measures as indicators of vitality in sugar maple.

The impact of relative humidity, genotypes and fertilizer application rates on panicle, leaf temperature, fertility and seed setting of rice

2010 ◽  
Vol 148 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. YAN ◽  
Y. DING ◽  
Q. WANG ◽  
Z. LIU ◽  
G. LI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Flag Leaf ◽  
Canopy Temperature ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Spikelet Fertility ◽  
Nitrogen Application ◽  
Seed Setting ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYA series of field and plant growth chamber experiments were conducted in 2006 and 2007 to study how relative humidity (RH), genotypes and nitrogen application rates affect organ temperatures and spikelet fertility rates in rice. It was observed that organ temperatures varied with air temperature, RH, genotype and nitrogen application rate. Increases in RH at constant air temperature and increasing air temperature with a constant RH both increased organ temperatures significantly. Cultivars also exhibited differences in organ temperatures; those cultivars with erect panicles recorded lower organ temperatures than those with droopy panicles under similar climatic conditions. Similarly, cultivars with panicles above the flag leaf had lower temperatures at the panicle when compared to those plants with the panicle below the flag leaf. It was also found that panicle temperature showed a significant negative correlation with both grain filling rate and seed setting rate. Spikelet fertility could be maintained by reducing spikelet temperature under decreasing RH in a high-temperature environment. Panicle fertilizer application rates had a significant effect on the organ and canopy temperatures. The canopy temperature of rice grown with an ample supply of nitrogen was generally cooler than the canopy temperature of a nitrogen-deficient treatment.

Effects of an invasive herbivore at the single plant scale do not extend to population-scale seedling dynamics

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Coyle ◽  
William J. Mattson ◽  
Alexander L. Friend ◽  
Kenneth F. Raffa
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Larval Abundance ◽  
Seedling Mortality ◽  
Northern Hardwood Forests ◽  
Ecosystem Effects ◽  
Seedling Dynamics ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Adult Weevil

A complex of nine invasive weevils has established in the northern hardwood forests of the Great Lakes Region. These weevils have become the numerically dominant arthropod fauna in the lower vegetation strata of this ecosystem. Effects of these folivorous adults and rhizophagous larvae on seedling survival and density are unknown. We measured the impact of adult weevil defoliation on individual sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) seedlings, the numerically dominant flora in these stands. Over 14 500 seedlings were measured to examine the effects of larval abundance, adult abundance, and adult defoliation on seedling dynamics during 2005–2009. Heavy defoliation led to individual sugar maple seedling mortality. However, at the stand level there was no measureable net effect of invasive weevils against the high natural background rates of seedling mortality. Seedling growth and biomass were reduced by high adult or larval populations, which were associated with heavy leaf and root herbivory, but not by moderate adult or larval populations. We conclude that high levels of redundancy and compensatory processes in this environment allow sugar maple seedling populations to tolerate high levels of weevil damage, although additional stresses could reduce this resilience.

scholarly journals A Sustainable Approach for Improving Soil Properties and Reducing N2O Emissions Is Possible through Initial and Repeated Biochar Application

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 582
Author(s):  
Ján Horák ◽  
Tatijana Kotuš ◽  
Lucia Toková ◽  
Elena Aydın ◽  
Dušan Igaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
N2o Emission ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Temperate Climate ◽  
Emissions Reduction ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
The Impact

Recent findings of changing climate, water scarcity, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions have brought major challenges to sustainable agriculture worldwide. Biochar application to soil proves to be a suitable solution to these problems. Although the literature presents the pros and cons of biochar application, very little information is available on the impact of repeated application. In this study, we evaluate and discuss the effects of initial and reapplied biochar (both in rates of 0, 10, and 20 t ha−1) combined with N fertilization (at doses of 0, 40, and 80 kg ha−1) on soil properties and N2O emission from Haplic Luvisol in the temperate climate zone (Slovakia). Results showed that biochar generally improved the soil properties such as soil pH(KCl) (p ≤ 0.05; from acidic towards moderately acidic), soil organic carbon (p ≤ 0.05; an increase from 4% to over 100%), soil water availability (an increase from 1% to 15%), saturated hydraulic conductivity (an increase from 5% to 95%). The effects were more significant in the following cases: repeated rather than single biochar application, higher rather than lower biochar application rates, and higher rather than lower N fertilization levels. Initial and repeated biochar applications, leading to N2O emissions reduction, can be related to increased soil pH(KCl).

Integrating standing value estimations into tree marking guidelines to meet wood supply objectives

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 750-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filip Havreljuk ◽  
Alexis Achim ◽  
David Auty ◽  
Steve Bédard ◽  
David Pothier
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Wood Decay ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Wood Supply ◽  
Stem Quality ◽  
The Impact

The identification of low-vigor trees with potential for sawlog production is a key objective of tree marking guidelines used for partial cuts in northern hardwoods. The aim of this study was to measure the impact of various vigor-related defects on the monetary value of hardwoods. To achieve this, we sampled 64 sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) and 32 yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) trees from two locations in southern Quebec, Canada. We identified over 420 defects, which were grouped into 8 categories. The trees were then harvested and processed into lumber, and the value per unit volume of each stem was calculated from the value of the product assortment (lumber, chips, and sawdust). We found that visible evidence of fungal infections (sporocarps and (or) stroma) and cracks had the largest negative influence on value in both species. A model that included these defects was almost as good at predicting value as one that included a specifically designed quality classification. A more accurate assessment of value could be achieved using wood decay assessment tools and (or) by considering site-specific variables. Results from this study showed that visual identification of fungal infections and cracks could be used to enhance tree marking guidelines for hardwoods. This would meet both the silvicultural objective of selection cuts, by removing low-vigor trees, and the wood supply objective, by improving stem quality assessment prior to harvest.

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