scholarly journals Investigating Relationships between Nutrient Concentrations, Stem Sinuosity, and Tree Improvement in Douglas-Fir Stands in Western Washington

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 541
Author(s):  
Pranjal Dwivedi ◽  
Eric Sucre ◽  
Eric C. Turnblom ◽  
Robert B. Harrison

Stem sinuosity is a deformation that occurs in Douglas-fir and other tree species. Nutritional deficiencies, such as those of copper, zinc, boron, and calcium have been positively associated with increased stem form deformities. The objective of this study was to analyze available soil and total foliar concentrations of sinuous Douglas-fir stands and determine if these data provided insights into the role of nutrients on sinuosity across different sites. Relationships among genetic gain levels across different sites were also assessed to evaluate whether trees selected for growth and form were better at mobilizing and sequestering nutrients in soils or needles. As data collected were multivariate, Mantel test and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) were used to study effects of site, genetic gain levels on soil, and foliar nutrients, with ordinations used to visualize trends. The stands were found to be deficient in boron and calcium, and moderately deficient with respect to zinc and nitrogen. Combining foliar data with soil nutrients revealed that there was differential uptake of these nutrients as compared to other more abundant micronutrients. Results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that site was the most important predictor, which explained variation among soil nutrient concentrations. Genetic gain level was a significant predictor for variation among soil nutrients; however, not significantly for foliar concentrations according to multivariate analyses. Trends in the data indicate that proper genetic selection could reduce sinuosity while also increasing growth. The results of this study support the contention that no one single factor can explain stem sinuosity. It is likely that sinuous growth in trees is caused by a combination of unbalanced nutrient concentrations and metal deficiencies, as were seen in this study, in addition to genetic, environmental, and physiological factors.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengjiao Sun ◽  
Enqing Hou ◽  
Jiasen Wu ◽  
Jianqin Huang ◽  
Xingzhao Huang

Abstract Background: Soil nutrients play critical roles in regulating and improving the sustainable development of economic forests. Consequently, an elucidation of the spatial patterns and drivers of soil nutrients in these forests is fundamental to their management. For this study, we collected 314 composite soils at a 0-30 cm depth from a typical hickory plantation in Lin 'an, Zhejiang Province, China. We determined the concentrations of macronutrients (i.e., soil organic carbon, hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium) and micronutrients (i.e., iron, manganese, zinc, and copper.) of the soils. We employed random forest analysis to quantify the relative importance of soil-forming factors to predict the soil nutrient concentrations, which could then be extrapolated to the entire hickory region. Results: Random forest models explained 61%–88% of the variations in soil nutrient concentrations. The mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation were the most important predictor of soil macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations. Moreover, parent material was another key predictor of soil available phosphorus and micronutrient concentrations. Mapping results demonstrated the importance of climate in controlling the spatial distribution of soil nutrient concentrations at finer scales, as well as the effect of parent material, topography, stand structure, and management measures of hickory plantations. Conclusions: Our study highlights the biotic factors, abiotic factors, and management factors control over soil macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations, which have significant implications for the sustainability of soil nutrients in forest plantations.


Author(s):  
MS Islam ◽  
T Nusrat ◽  
MR Jamil ◽  
F Yesmin ◽  
MH Kabir ◽  
...  

The study investigated on soil nutrients in agriculture practiced high, medium high, medium low and low land at Kalihati upazila of Tangail district during October 2017 to June 2018. Thirty soil samples were collected from different land types at the study area and analyzed at Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) to determine soil nutrient status. The soil parameters under investigation included pH, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), available zinc (Zn), available iron (Fe), available manganese (Mn), available boron (B), exchangeable potassium (K), exchangeable calcium (Ca) and exchangeable magnesium (Mg). Results indicated that many of the soil nutrient levels decreased such as pH (5.63 to 6.40), P (3.50 to 23.20 μg g-1), Zn (3.27 to 3.60 μg g-1), Mn (21.12 to 57.90 μg g-1), B (0.17 to 0.60 μg g-1), K (0.18 to 0.30 meq 100g-1) and Ca (5.75 to 9.10 meq 100g-1). On the contrary, the average content of OM (2.30 to 1.40%), Fe (248.22 to 161.10 μg g-1) and Mg (2.07 to 1.80 meq 100g-1) were increased. Total N content status did not change much (0.12%). Soil nutrients like those that available Zn, Fe, Mn and Mg contents were found above optimum level (very high) but OM and N status found below optimum level (low, very low and medium). Nutrient concentrations below optimum levels may limit crop yield. Updated knowledge about soil nutrient status needs to be provided for the farmers so that they can use necessary amount of fertilizers and avoid applying excess amount of fertilizers. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 10(2): 84-90, December 2020


2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (10) ◽  
pp. 941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy S. S. Conlin ◽  
R. van den Driessche

Root growth responses of Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla Raf. Sarg.) seedlings to three nutrient concentrations and two shoot vapour pressure deficits were measured. Both species gained dry mass at high and medium nutrient treatments throughout the experiment, but not at low nutrition. Low nutrition gave highest ratios of projected leaf surface area to total root length in both species. Douglas-fir geometry differed from that of hemlock, with longer interior link lengths, particularly at the lowest nutrition. Douglas-fir showed greater numbers of exterior–interior links than hemlock. More links were observed at medium and high nutrition than at low nutrition for both species. Exterior–interior links increased over time for the two highest nutrient treatments. Significant topological differences were observed between species, the lowest and two highest nutrient treatments, and high and low vapour pressure deficits. Both species showed herring-bone root architecture at the lowest nutrition. This architectural configuration became more pronounced in hemlock seedlings grown under higher vapour pressure deficits. Faster-growing Douglas-fir had a dichotomous architecture at medium and high nutrition that was not influenced by increased vapour pressure deficits. Douglas-fir topology appears to be adapted to exploit soil nutrient patches while hemlock appears to rely on efficient exploitation of soil volume.


1990 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 712-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan L. Borchers ◽  
David A. Perry

A greenhouse bioassay was used to compare the growth, ectomycorrhiza formation, and foliar nutrient concentrations of Douglas-fir seedlings grown in soils collected at different distances from hardwood species. Soil nutrient concentrations and bulk densities were also determined. The soils were collected from two southwestern Oregon sites that had been clear-cut and broadcast burned 5 years previously. The sites, poorly stocked with conifer reproduction, were occupied primarily by grasses, forbs, and scattered individuals of tanoak (Lithocarpusdensiflora (Hook. & Arn.) Rehd.), Pacific madrone (Arbutusmenziesii Pursh), and canyon line oak (Quercuschrysolepis Liebm.). Five-month-old seedlings grown in media containing mineral soil collected beneath hardwood crowns had on average 60% greater height, 2.2 times greater weight (roots plus shoots), and almost 2 times more total and ectomycorrhizal short roots than seedlings grown in media containing soil collected more than 4 m from a hardwood. Rhizopogon sp. and Cenococcumgeophilum dominated on seedlings grown in hardwood soils, and an unidentified brown ectomycorrhiza dominated on seedlings grown in open area soils. The effect of hardwoods did not vary among the three hardwood species or between the two sites. A study of soils collected at various distances from hardwoods indicated that the effect extended between 2 and 3 m. Average foliar nitrogen was higher for seedlings grown in hardwood area than in open area soils, but differences were not statistically significant. Differences in other foliar nutrients of seedlings grown on soils from beneath the three hardwood species were inconsistent. Differences in soil nutrient concentrations were also inconsistent; however, rates of mineralizable nitrogen (anaerobic) were from 2 to nearly 6 times higher in hardwood area than open area soils, and soil pH was higher. Results suggest that the pioneering hardwoods strongly influence soil biological activity in these clear-cuts and impose one or more soil patterns that favor establishment and growth of conifer seedlings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 765-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
X.-Y. Li ◽  
P.-P. Fan ◽  
Y. Liu ◽  
G.-L. Hou ◽  
Q. Wang ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3957
Author(s):  
Yingying Xing ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
Xiaoli Niu ◽  
Wenting Jiang ◽  
Xiukang Wang

Soil nutrients are essential nutrients provided by soil for plant growth. Most researchers focus on the coupling effect of nutrients with potato yield and quality. There are few studies on the evaluation of soil nutrients in potato fields. The purpose of this study is to investigate the soil nutrients of potato farmland and the soil vertical nutrient distributions, and then to provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the fertilizer management practices for potatoes in Loess Plateau. Eight physical and chemical soil indexes were selected in the study area, and 810 farmland soil samples from the potato agriculture product areas were analyzed in Northern Shaanxi. The paper established the minimum data set (MDS) for the quality diagnosis of the cultivated layer for farmland by principal component analysis (PCA), respectively, and furthermore, analyzed the soil nutrient characteristics of the cultivated layer adopted soil quality index (SQI). The results showed that the MDS on soil quality diagnosis of the cultivated layer for farmland soil included such indicators as the soil organic matter content, soil available potassium content, and soil available phosphorus content. The comprehensive index value of the soil quality was between 0.064 and 0.302. The SPSS average clustering process used to classify SQI was divided into three grades: class I (36.2%) was defined as suitable soil fertility (SQI < 0.122), class II (55.6%) was defined as moderate soil fertility (0.122 < SQI < 0.18), and class III (8.2%) was defined as poor soil fertility (SQI > 0.186). The comprehensive quality of the potato farmland soils was generally low. The proportion of soil nutrients in the SQI composition ranged from large to small as the soil available potassium content = soil available phosphorus content > soil organic matter content, which became the limiting factor of the soil organic matter content in this area. This study revolves around the 0 to 60 cm soil layer; the soil fertility decreased gradually with the soil depth, and had significant differences between the respective soil layers. In order to improve the soil nutrient accumulation and potato yield in potato farmland in northern Shaanxi, it is suggested to increase the fertilization depth (20 to 40 cm) and further study the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuta Takahashi ◽  
Kaori Shiojiri ◽  
Akira Yamawo

AbstractAboveground communication between plants is well known to change defense traits in leaves, but its effects on belowground plant traits and soil characteristics have not been elucidated. We hypothesized that aboveground plant-to-plant communication reduces root nodule symbiosis via induction of bactericidal chemical defense substances and changes the soil nutrient environment. Soybean plants were exposed to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from damaged shoots of Solidago canadensis var. scabra, and leaf defense traits (total phenolics, saponins), root saponins, and root nodule symbiosis traits (number and biomass of root nodules) were measured. Soil C/N ratios and mineral concentrations were also measured to estimate the effects of resource uptake by the plants. We found that total phenolics were not affected. However, plants that received VOCs had higher saponin concentrations in both leaves and roots, and fewer root nodules than untreated plants. Although the concentrations of soil minerals did not differ between treatments, soil C/N ratio was significantly higher in the soil of communicated plants. Thus, the aboveground plant-to-plant communication led to reductions in root nodule symbiosis and soil nutrient concentrations. Our results suggest that there are broader effects of induced chemical defenses in aboveground plant organs upon belowground microbial interactions and soil nutrients, and emphasize that plant response based on plant-to-plant communications are a bridge between above- and below-ground ecosystems.


2001 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir G. Onipchenko ◽  
Mikhail I. Makarov ◽  
Eddy van der Maarel

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 1602-1609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J Mitchell

Three-year-old coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings were planted in a factorial experiment with three levels of shading (0, 30, and 60%), three levels of mechanical stimulus (staked, freestanding, and bent), and two levels of nitrogen fertilization (0 and 200 kg/ha) to investigate the separate and combined effects of these factors on morphology and bending resistance. Fertilization increased branch angle and increased the sensitivity of branch and leader extension to bending stresses but did not affect volume increment, stem form, or bending resistance. The effects of shading and mechanical treatments on morphology were independent and additive. Shading reduced stem diameter and volume increment, but did not affect height increment, producing more slender trees. Bending produced less slender trees through a combination of reduced height increment and increased diameter increment. Staking did not affect tree morphology. Trees under heavy shade were responsive to bending but were more slender and had lower bending resistance than unshaded trees with the same mechanical stimulus. These results point towards the biological basis for the development of tree instability in high density stands.


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