Nutrient contents and concentrations in relation to growth of Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica along a European transect

Abstract

Mineral nutrition of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) was investigated along a transect extending from northern Sweden to central Italy. Nitrogen (N) concentrations of needles and leaves in stands growing on acid soils did not differ significantly between central Italy and southern Sweden (1.0 +/- 0.1 mmol N g(-1) for needles and 1.9 +/- 0.14 mmol N g(-1) for leaves). In both species, foliar N concentrations were highest in Germany (1.2 mmol N g(-1) for needles and 2.0 mmol N g(-1) for leaves) and decreased by 50% toward northern Sweden (0.5 mmol N g(-1)). Both species showed constant S/N and P/N ratios along the transect. Calcium, K and Mg concentrations generally reflected local soil conditions; however, Mg concentrations reached deficiency values in Germany. Leaf area per unit dry weight varied significantly along the transect with lowest values for Norway spruce recorded in northern Sweden and Italy (3.4 m(2) kg(-1)) and a maximum in central Europe (4.7 m(2) kg(-1)). A similar pattern was observed for beech. Despite the low variation in foliar N concentrations on the large geographic scale, local and regional variations in N concentrations equalled or exceeded the variation along the entire continental transect. Furthermore, nutrient contents (i.e., nutrient concentration x dry weight per needle or leaf) showed a greater variation than nutrient concentrations along the transect. Nitrogen contents of Norway spruce needles reached minimum values in northern Sweden (2.4 micro mol N needle(-1)) and maximum values in Denmark (5.0 micro mol N needle(-1)). The N content of beech leaves was highest in Denmark (242 micro mol N leaf(-1)). At the German site, foliar N content rather than N concentration reflected the seasonal dynamics of foliar growth and N storage of the two species. During foliage expansion, there was an initial rapid increase in N content and a decrease in N concentration. This pattern lasted for about 2 weeks after bud break and was followed by 6 weeks during which dry weight and N content of the foliage increased, resulting in a further decrease in N concentration. During summer, dry weight and N content of mature needles of Norway spruce increased further to reach a maximum in autumn, whereas N concentration remained constant. In spring, reallocation of N from 1- and 2-year-old needles was 1.5 and 1.0 micro mol N needle(-1), respectively. This remobilized N was a major source of N for the development of new needles, which had an N content of 1.5 micro mol N needle(-1) after bud break. The seasonal remobilization of N from old foliage decreased with increasing needle age. Needle N content and dry weight decreased progressively with age (1 micro mol N needle(-1) between age classes 2 and 5), whereas N concentrations remained constant. For Norway spruce, annual stemwood production was correlated with needle N content but not with foliar N concentration or with the total amount of N in the canopy. Interspecific and geographical differences in plant nutrition are d...

Impact of tropospheric ozone on the Euro-Mediterranean vegetation

“…At their southernmost distribution area, Fagus sylvatica (Bauer et al, 1997) and Abies alba (Rinallo & Gellini 1989) have more sclerophyllous leaves than the central European provenances. The typical Mediterranean conditions enhance sclerophylly, as plants grown in dry environments and under excessive light usually develop greater leaf thickness and mass (Gutschick 1999).…”

“…In addition, some studies (Rinallo & Gellini 1989;Bauer et al, 1997) highlight that Mediterranean trees are less O 3 -sensitive than Northern European provenances, even without water limitation. At their southernmost distribution area, Fagus sylvatica (Bauer et al, 1997) and Abies alba (Rinallo & Gellini 1989) have more sclerophyllous leaves than the central European provenances.…”

Growth and crown architecture of two aspen genotypes exposed to interacting ozone and carbon dioxide

“…The presence of spruce in mixed culture may decrease the amount of nutrients available for beech (Wang et al, 2001;Hagedorn et al, 2002), suggesting a competitive advantage of spruce below-ground. Spruce may also change the availability of ammonium and nitrate in its rhizosphere (Brierley et al, 2001;Dieffenbach & Matzner, 2000), with effects on the below-ground performance of beech (Bauer et al, 1997;Bauer, 1997). Overall, beech appears to be the weaker competitor for below-ground resources.…”

Effects of Fertilizer on Growth, Carbon and Nitrogen Responses of Foliage in a Red Pine Stand

“…Needle leaf area was measured by fresh needle samples by using scanned leaf meter (CI-202 area meter CID, Inc. USA). Specific leaf area of needle was determined by leaf area (cm 2 ) and dry mass (mg) of ratio (Bauer et al, 1997).…”

“…Generally, nutrient concentrations of foliage have been accepted as good indicators of growth and soil fertility on site (Bauer et al, 1997), although the nutrient status in foliage could be attributed to many environmental factors, such as soil properties, season length, water supply, and other environmental factors (Weetman and Wells, 1990).…”