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Assessment of sugar maple tree growth in relation to the partitioning of elements in xylem along a soil acidity gradient

Summary

Published in Forest Ecology and Management 261(1): 95-104

Partitioning of elements in tree xylem is being increasingly studied, as it suggests that elements are potentially mobile within the xylem long after their uptake. A recent study revealed that only the most mobile xylem fraction (water-soluble) of base cations (calcium [Ca], magnesium [Mg], and potassium [K]) increased at higher soil acidity, while the two mobile fractions (water- and acid-soluble) of acidic metals—potentially phytotoxic aluminium (Al), cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn)—were significantly enhanced on very acid soils. The current paper presents an investigation of soil–wood chemistry relationships with basal area tree growth. It was hypothesized that the growth of sugar maple would be reduced by low base cation and high acidic metal concentrations in the xylem mobile fractions. Sugar maple trees (h = 55) from six watersheds in southern Québec, Canada were analysed by sequential chemical extractions for the water-soluble, acid-soluble and residual fractions of base cations (Ca, K, Mg) and acidic metals (Al, Cd, Mn) in xylem. Generally, tree growth was positively correlated to concentrations of base cations in wood (r = 0.27–0.50) and soil (r = 0.41–0.67), and negatively correlated to concentrations of acidic metals in wood (r =−0.33 to −0.52) and soil (r =−0.67). However, these relations differed depending on the element fraction considered. Water- and acid-soluble xylem concentrations of base cations and Al were among the best predictors of growth trends (R2 = 0.46–0.51). The relationship between acidic metals and tree growth is further discussed.

Sector(s): 

Forests

Categorie(s): 

Scientific Article

Theme(s): 

Ecosystems and Environment, Forestry Research, Forests

Departmental author(s): 

Bilodeau-Gauthier, Simon, Houle, Daniel

Author(s)

BILODEAU-GAUTHIER, Simon, Daniel HOULE, Christian GAGNON, Benoît CÔTÉ and Christian MESSIER

Year of publication :

2011

Format :

PDF

Keywords :

déclin de l'érable, sol forestier, croissance, forêt feuillue, chimie cernes et croissances, écologie écosystèmes et environnement, article scientifique de recherche forestière, écologie forestière, écosystèmes et environnement, sugar maple decline, forest soils, tree growth, hardwood forest, tree ring chemistry, ecosystems and environment, forest ecology

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