The concentrations of Fe, Zn and Co in successive needle age classes of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.]

Abstract

The concentrations of Fe, Zn and Co were determined in up to five successive needle age classes in 54 individual Norway spruce trees from eight different sites (soil pH 3.1-7.7). Fe concentrations (12-25 µg in needles from the current year) were lower than most published values, due to the removal of surface contamination prior to analysis. Fe showed a significant positive correlation with Al. Successive needle age classes either had constant values or showed an increase for Fe concentrations; individual trees on a given site were rather uniform in their behaviour. Zn concentrations were 19-40 µg/g. On acid sites, they showed a positive correlation with total soil concentrations. The majority of trees showed decreasing Zn concentrations in successive needle age classes, but constant or increasing concentrations were also found; site homogeneity was less than with Fe. Co concentrations differed between trees on a neutral soil (12 ng/g) and on acid soils (41-174 ng/g). They showed a significant positive correlation with Mn needle concentrations. The changes of Co with needle age in most, but not all, trees were similar to those of Zn. The different changes of Fe, Zn and Co with needle age may be due to a different retranslocation. A modest retranslocation of Fe as opposed to a high retranslocation of Zn and Co (in most trees) is consistent with the observed behaviour.

A Multi-Analytical Approach to the Use of Conifer Needles as Passive Samplers of Particulate Matter and Organic Pollutants

“…A similar agreement concerns Cu and Zn, that in polluted environment are mainly exogenous and from root uptake respectively (Nieminen et al, 2004). As concerns Fe deposition on conifer needles, our results seem to parallel those published by Wyttenbach and Tobler (2000). These considerations suggest that, if significant surface concentrations of Mn, Cu, Cr and Pb are detected, these indicate air contamination with that metal.…”

Concentration of elements in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) needles as a function of needles’ age

“…According to Fiedler (1988), the decrease in the Zn concentration was associated with insufficient supply of this element. The results obtained by Wyttenbach and Tobler (2000) showed that any tree with Zn concentration below 20 mg/kg did not reveal an increasing pattern. The content of Zn in current-year needles determined in this study was below 20 mg/kg in only one tree, Trees (2009) The sites: 1-Jodłowice, 2-Gola; general trends were denoted by ''?''…”

“…Earlier studies show the ability of Zn to a different behavior in Norway spruce; its concentration in some sites increased with the needle age, whereas in other sites it was characterized by a decreasing tendency (Wyttenbach et al 1995b;Wyttenbach and Tobler 2000). Also Giertych et al (1999) observed concentrations of Zn increasing with age in needles of Pinus nigra only in polluted sites, whereas in unpolluted sites the Zn concentration did not show any clear tendencies.…”

“…The value ''a'' reflects the excessive accumulation in the current-year needles that resulted from their physiological demand. According to Wyttenbach and Tobler (2000), the concentration of an element increases linearly with the needle age if the element's retranslocation is smaller than its yearly inflow from the roots.…”

“…Such biodynamic curves describe the mobility of elements within the plant (Wyttenbach and Tobler 2000); however, little effort has been made so far to quantify these changes by means of algebraic equations (Wyttenbach et al 1995b).…”