Fertilization at planting influences seedling growth and vegetative competition on a post-mining boreal reclamation site

Sloan, Joshua L.; Jacobs, Douglass F.

doi:10.1007/s11056-013-9378-4

Cited by 42 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…In a forest-reclamation stetting this can create problems as the rapid development of colonizing vegetation can compete with the planted tree seedlings (Chang and Preston 2000;Sloan and Jacobs 2013). To date, highly water soluble immediately available fertilizers (IAFs), commonly used in agriculture, are most prevalent in reclamation operations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Subsequently the use of nutrient loaded seedlings may actually be more valuable on nutrient limited sites where a higher internal nutrient status might give planted seedlings a growth advantage over other establishing species. In reclamation sites after surface mining, soils can greatly vary in nutrient availability and are often amended with fertilizers which have the potential to stimulate competing vegetation more than the seedlings (Xu and Timmer 1999;Sloan and Jacobs 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nutrient loaded seedlings reduce the need for field fertilization and vegetation management on boreal forest reclamation sites

et al. 2015

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Tree seedlings loaded with nutrients during nursery production have shown increased growth and survival relative to standard seedlings upon outplanting. We examined outplanting performance of nutrient loaded and standard trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings, along with composition and cover of competing vegetation, on a boreal oil sands reclamation site with two different soil types (forest floor mineral mix and peat mineral mix) and four different broadcast fertilizer applications [250 kg/ha immediately available fertilizer (IAF), 500 kg/ha IAF, 670 kg/ha controlled release fertilizer, and an unfertilized control]. Average height growth across all treatments was 19 % greater for nutrient loaded aspen seedlings than standard seedlings after two growing seasons. With respect to soil types, aspen growth was greater on peat mineral mix and seedlings growing in this soil type showed a greater response to both nutrient loading and fertilization; however, this could partially be attributed to greater cover by competing vegetation on the forest floor mineral mix. In the first growing season, trees treated with immediately available fertilizer showed the greatest growth response but in the second growing season only the controlled release fertilizer application resulted in growth rates greater than the controls. Fertilizer regime had similar effects on total cover of competing vegetation, although fertilization additionally promoted increased cover of grasses in the forest floor mineral mix. Overall, we clearly show that nutrient loaded trembling aspen seedlings can be used to offset early field fertilization needs at forest reclamation sites.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient loaded seedlings reduce the need for field fertilization and vegetation management on boreal forest reclamation sites

et al. 2015

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“…All seedlings received a uniform dose during the post-transplant growth phase; consequently, post-transplant solution-supplied N was unlikely to result in different root responses observed in this study. In an applied context, the nutrient-enriched solution provided to seedlings in this study could simulate transplant conditions in necessary situations where seedlings are supplied with controlled-released fertilizer at out-planting to improve their potentially future performance (Oliet et al 2009, Sloan & Jacobs 2013.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbohydrate metabolism during new root growth in transplanted Larix olgensis seedlings: post-transplant response to nursery-applied inorganic fertilizer and organic amendment

Wei¹,

Guo²

2017

iForest

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Sustainable agriculture often requires the incorporation of organic matter into cultural protocols as an amendment to mitigate problems caused by chemical inputs, but the responses of transplanted seedlings to such additions have not been well quantified. In this study, bare-root Changbai larch (Larix olgensis Henry) seedlings were applied with 100 or 200 kg nitrogen (N) ha -1 of inorganic fertilizer with or without chicken manure added at a rate of 10,000 kg ha -1 during nursery cultivation, obtaining four treatment combinations designated as F100+, F200+, F100-, and F200-, respectively. Over-winter seedlings were transplanted into pots and placed in a growth chamber, where the carbohydrate metabolism, biomass accumulation, root respiration, and new root number were quantified. Both initial soluble sugar and total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) accumulation were the lowest in the F100+ treatment. However, two months later, root soluble sugar content was the highest in this treatment, while coarse-root (diameter > 2mm) carbohydrate content was the highest in the low rate of inorganic fertilizer treatment. During the two-month post-transplant period, the net carbohydrate accumulation rate (NCAR) for starch was negative for all treatments, but the NCAR value for soluble sugars was the highest in the F100+ treatment at both the root and whole-plant scales. Relative to the F200-treatment, the NCAR value for soluble sugars, final sugar content, and biomass accumulation in coarse roots, respiration rate of fine roots (diameter ≤ 2 mm), and new root number were all greater in the F100+ treatment, while new root number was increased by organic matter additions. In conclusion, the use of chicken manure as an organic amendment had the potential to enhance transplanted larch seedling performance by improving post-transplant new root number, but this application must be considered within the context of the interaction between organic amendment treatments and inorganic fertilizer applications.

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“…The competitive ability of a species is likely to vary on land reclamation sites by soil type and reclamation treatments due to differences in nutrient availability (Sloan and Jacobs 2013). In general, there are two main types of reclamation cover soils currently used in oil sands mine reclamation in Northern Alberta, Canada: forest floormineral mix (FFMM) and peat-mineral mix (PMM).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To make up for differences across reclamation soil treatments, fertilizer is often used to augment nutrient levels and allow for a larger plant abundance and richness to be supported in less fertile soil (Sloan and Jacobs 2013). However, an undesired effect can occur, where a fertilizer can increase competition between desirable and weedy plant species (Pyšek and Leps 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth and competition among understory plants varies with reclamation soil and fertilization

2018

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Introduction: Following oil sands mining in Alberta, Canada, the main land management goal is to establish a functioning boreal forest ecosystem, including the understory plant community. One of the challenges with restoring the understory is the presence of non-native species that compete with desirable native species for resources. In a greenhouse experiment, we studied the growth of two native understory species (Galium boreale and Vicia americana) and a non-native invasive species (Matricaria perforata) grown with either intra-or interspecific neighbors across three common land reclamation soils and a nitrogen fertilizer treatment. Results: When grown by itself, V. americana aboveground biomass did not differ among soil or fertilizer treatments, likely due to its ability to fix nitrogen. Growth of M. perforata was directly related to soil nitrogen, and it had the greatest increase in biomass with fertilization. Growth and biomass of G. boreale was less than the other species, and it had the highest mortality in the nitrogen-poor soil. When grown together, the proportional biomass of M. perforata and V. americana varied with soil treatment such that M. perforata was dominant in the high-nitrogen forest floormineral mix treatment while V. americana was dominant in the low-nitrogen peat-mineral mix. Conclusions: Operationally, care should be taken when applying fertilizer to reclamation areas, as it may have an unwanted positive effect on growth for undesirable non-native plants at the expense of native species. In terms of seed mixtures, V. americana may be a good option for low inorganic nitrogen resource soils and G. boreale for high nitrogen resource soils.

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Fertilization at planting influences seedling growth and vegetative competition on a post-mining boreal reclamation site

Cited by 42 publications

References 36 publications

Nutrient loaded seedlings reduce the need for field fertilization and vegetation management on boreal forest reclamation sites

Nutrient loaded seedlings reduce the need for field fertilization and vegetation management on boreal forest reclamation sites

Carbohydrate metabolism during new root growth in transplanted Larix olgensis seedlings: post-transplant response to nursery-applied inorganic fertilizer and organic amendment

Growth and competition among understory plants varies with reclamation soil and fertilization

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