Effect of soil K, Ca and Mg saturation and endomycorrhization on growth and nutrient uptake of sugar maple seedlings

Nutrient imbalances of declining sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) stands in southeastern Quebec have been associated with high exchangeable Mg levels in soils relative to soil K and Ca. A greenhouse experiment was set up to test the hypothesis that the equilibrium between soil exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg ions influences the growth and nutrient status of sugar maple seedlings. Also tested was whether endomycorrhization can alter nutrient acquisition under various soil exchangeable basic cations ratios. Treatments consisted of seven ratios of soil exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg making up a total base saturation of 58%, and a soil inoculation treatment with the endomycorrhizal fungus Glomus versiforme (control and inoculated), in a complete factorial design. Sugar maple seedlings were grown for 3 months in the treated soils. Plant shoot elongation rate, dry biomass and nutrient concentrations in foliage were influenced by the various ratios of soil cations. The predicted plant biomass and foliar K concentration were highest at a soil Ca saturation of 38%, a soil K saturation of 12%, and a soil Mg saturation of 8%. Potassium concentration in foliage was dependent on the level of Ca and Mg saturation in the soil when soil K saturation was close to 12%. Foliar Ca and Mg levels were more dependent on their corresponding levels in soil than foliar K. Colonization by G. versiforme did not influence seedling growth and macronutrient uptake. The results confirm that growth and nutrition of sugar maple are negatively affected by imbalances in exchangeable basic cations in soils.     

盐碱地柠条根围土中黑曲霉的分离鉴定及解磷能力测定

在盐碱滩地的改良过程中,柠条具有提升土壤供氮、供磷、供钾的潜力.以盐碱滩地上建植的柠条灌木林为研究对象,以柠条根围土壤为培养基质,采用无机磷培养基筛选,用平板溶菌圈法分离获得1株具有溶磷能力的真菌.将测得的ITS基因序列在NCBI上进行同源性检索,结果表明,所测序列与黑曲霉(Aspergillus niger)同源性为100％.综合形态特征和ITS基因序列同源性两方面分析,该菌株鉴定为黑曲霉(Aspergillus niger).168h连续监测无机磷培养液pH值、速效磷含量、菌丝重量和菌体吸磷量,研究该菌株的解磷能力.研究结果表明:随着培养时间的延长,培养液pH值从7.0下降到2.0左右,溶液中速效磷含量逐渐增加到4.7 mg,菌体自身吸磷量由5.4 mg下降到0.5mg,在36-48h后各项指标达到稳定状态.可见,黑曲霉菌体可以有效利用难溶性磷源,并将其转化成可被植物吸收利用的有效磷.     

Growth and yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) plants in soil inoculated with Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem

Aspergillus niger, a soil-borne fungus is a causative agent of hypocotyl malformations in infected groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) plants, but its effect on yield is unknown. This study sought to determine its effect on growth and yield. Seeds of Chinese and JL45 varieties were sown in soil inoculated with A. niger. Fresh and dry weights of the shoots and roots were taken at 10-day intervals. Nodule count was done at 30 days after emergence and subsequently at 10-day intervals. Pods of 20 plants each from inoculated and uninoculated soils were harvested. Growth was suppressed in plants grown on A. niger inoculated soil. Eight-day old plants grown in inoculated soil developed curvatures on their hypocotyls. Nodulation was suppressed (p < 0.05) in plants grown in inoculated soil. Although growth was suppressed in plants grown on inoculated soil, yield of both varieties of groundnut was not affected.     

广东鹤山火烧迹地植被恢复后土壤养分含量变化

采用对比分析方法,研究了广东鹤山桉林和灌草坡火烧迹地植被恢复后土壤养分含量的变化.结果表明：火烧3年后,桉林土壤有机碳、全氮、速效钾和pH含量明显降低,土壤有效磷、交换性镁、土壤净氮矿化速率和氨化速率降低,但不显著;火烧灌草坡除土壤交换性钙明显增加外,其他土壤养分均无显著变化.火烧桉林氮矿化速率较低的主要原因是其可利用基质的减少和桉树快速生长吸收大量养分所致,火烧灌草坡土壤养分的恢复速度较快.     

ROLE OF MYCORRHIZAL FUNGUS ORIGIN IN GROWTH AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY GERANIUM ROBERTIANUM

Prior field studies have shown that populations of forest herbs on relatively nutrient poor soils have higher vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) infection intensity than plants on rich soils. However, the growth responses and ability to take up P against the soil nutrient gradient are often not linearly related to infection intensity. To determine if intraspecific differences among populations of the common VAM fungus Glomus occultum could differentially affect growth and nutrient uptake, Geranium robertianum seedlings were inoculated with Glomus occultum isolated from four forest types along a gradient of soil fertility, and grown in a greenhouse at P levels typical of the extremes of that gradient. Plants given inoculum from relatively infertile forest sites generally produced greater root, shoot, and total mass than plants given inoculum from fertile sites or uninoculated plants, especially at the low P supply rate. Total P uptake and both P and N uptake efficiency were also highest in plants given inocula from low fertility sites. These results indicate that local adaptation and intraspecific variations in the ability of VAM fungi to induce growth and nutrient uptake effects on host plants may be as important as interspecific differences among VAM fungus species.     

Vegetation of tuscan ultramafic soils in relation to edaphic and physical factors

Vegetation and soil sampling were carried out in 80 plots located in five different ultramafic (serpentine) sites of Tuscany, central Italy. The physical and chemical features of each plot were determined and the species composition and cover recorded. The exchangeable fraction of soil metals was analysed because it gives a measure of their concentrations available to plants. The plots were classified by cluster analysis and ANOVA was used to compare the environmental variables of the groups of plots. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to detect the principal factors for gradients of species composition within the plant communities. A higher content of exchangeable metals was found under the more evolved and structured plant communities, suggesting that serpentine vegetation of Tuscany is not strongly limited by soil metals, such as chromium, cobalt, nickel and magnesium, typically associated with ultramafic soils. The low nutrient content of the soils and drought stress mainly due to topographical features, appear to have a more significant role in determining the typical scattered vegetation of the Tuscan ultramafics.     

湖南烟区土壤交换性钙、镁含量及对烤烟品质的影响

分析了湖南烟区主要土壤类型交换性钙、镁元素含量状况及其对烟叶品质的影响,结果表明:(1)土壤交换性钙、镁含量在不同土壤类型间存在显著性差异,交换性钙含量平均为8.87cmol/kg,以红壤含量最高;交换性镁含量平均为1.16cmol/kg,以黄棕壤含量最高;交换性钙镁比值大小依次为:红壤(11.74)>水稻土(10.25)>黄壤(6.84)>黄棕壤(6.14),在烟叶实际生产中,应重视镁肥在红壤和水稻土中的施用;(2)烟叶钙含量偏高(21.93g/kg±4.37g/kg),烟叶镁含量偏低(2.52g/kg±1.26g/kg),两者均存在广泛的变异性;(3)整体来看,烟叶钙含量随土壤中交换性钙含量的升高和镁含量的降低而显著升高;烟叶镁含量随土壤交换性镁含量的升高而升高,与土壤交换性钙含量的相关性不显著;(4)典型相关分析表明,土壤中交换性镁含量的降低可能引起烟叶钾含量的提高,从而使得烟叶钾素和镁素含量达到较好的平衡;(5)土壤交换性钙、镁含量与烟叶其它化学成分指标的相关分析表明,土壤交换性钙有利于烟株对硼和氯素的吸收,对氮、锌和锰素的吸收则有显著的抑制作用;而土壤交换性镁有利于烟叶总糖、硼素和锰素的积累,对氮、磷、铁和锌素的吸收具有显著的抑制作用。     

Development and use of a short-term nutrient-absorption technique for evaluating soil magnesium status

Summary A greenhouse investigation was undertaken to study and evaluate the use of a short-term nutrient-absorption technique for evaluating soil magnesium status. Barley (Hordeum vulgare), variety Arivat, was used as the test plant. The investigation included four experiments with the following objectives: (1) to determine the need for base applications of nitrogen and phosphorus in a soil-magnesium study using a short-term nutrient absorption technique; (2) to study the effect of base applications of N and P on Mg-uptake by plants under three time periods of root-soil contact; (3) to study the effect of increasing soil moisture from 75 to 100 per cent of the soil moisture equivalent on the plant uptake of Mg; and (4) to evaluate the short-term nutrient-absorption technique in determining the magnesium status in six different soils: Gila silt loam, Tours silty clay loam, Cajon clay loam, La Palma fine sandy loam, Yavapai sandy clay loam, and Casa Grande loam. Magnesium was applied in the form of MgSO₄ and Sul-PO-Mag.Plant growth, potassium, calcium, and magnesium uptake were increased by the base application of nitrogen and phosphorus using a 7-day period of root-soil contact.Plant growth was not affected by soil moisture level. Potassium and calcium concentrations in the plant were decreased with increasing soil moisture, but the total plant uptake of these nutrients was not affected. Total plant uptake and concentration of magnesium were increased by increasing soil moisture level.The results obtained in this study agree with previous observations that soil response to Mg does not depend upon the amount of exchangeable magnesium in the soil.Published as Arizona Agr. Expt. Station Technical Publication No.848.     

Inhibition of growth,and effects on nutrient uptake of arctic graminoids by leaf extracts — allelopathy or resource competition between plants and microbes?

Previous research has shown that plant extracts, e.g. from boreal dwarf shrubs and trees, can cause reduced growth of neighbouring plants: an effect known as allelopathy. To examine whether arctic and subarctic plants could also be affected by leaching of phytochemicals, we added extracts from the commonly occurring arctic dwarf shrubs Cassiope tetragona and Empetrum hermaphroditum, and from mountain birch, Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa to three graminoid species, Carex bigelowii, Festuca vivipara and Luzula arcuata, grown in previously sterilized or non-sterilized arctic soils. The graminoids in non-sterilized soil grew more slowly than those in sterilized soil. Excised roots of the plants in non-sterilized soil had higher uptake rate of labelled P than those in sterilized soil, demonstrating larger nutrient deficiency. The difference in growth rate was probably caused by higher nutrient availability for plants in soils in which the microbial biomass was killed after soil sterilization. The dwarf shrub extracts contained low amounts of inorganic N and P and medium high amounts of carbohydrates. Betula extracts contained somewhat higher levels of N and much higher levels of P and carbohydrates. Addition of leaf extracts to the strongly nutrient limited graminoids in non-sterilized soil tended to reduce growth, whereas in the less nutrient limited sterilized soil it caused strong growth decline. Furthermore, the N and P uptake by excised roots of plants grown in both types of soil was high if extracts from the dwarf shrubs (with low P and N concentrations) had been added, whereas the P uptake declined but the N uptake increased after addition of the P-rich Betula extract. In contrast to the adverse extract effects on plants, soil microbial respiration and soil fungal biomass (ergosterol) was generally stimulated, most strongly after addition of the Betula extract. Although we cannot exclude the possibility that the reduced plant growth and the concomitant stimulation of microbial activity were caused by phytochemicals, we believe that this was more likely due to labile carbon in the extracts which stimulated microbial biomass and activity. As a result microbial uptake increased, thereby depleting the plant available pool of N and P, or, for the P-rich Betula extract, depleting soil inorganic N alone, to the extent of reducing plant growth. This chain of events is supported by the negative correlation between plant growth and sugar content in the three added extracts, and the positive correlation between microbial activity, fungal biomass production and sugar content, and are known reactions when labile carbon is added to nutrient deficient soils.     

Site factors,foliar nutrient levels and growth of Cordia alliodora plantations in the humid lowlands of Northern Costa Rica

Within the perhumid, Atlantic lowlands of northern Costa Rica, Cordia alliodora plantations were studied in order to explain the observed pattern of growth irregularities. The soils, that were partly used as pastures over long periods, could be classified roughly into two units: (i) red, deeply weathered, slightly acidic soils from Mg-enriched parent material and (ii) brown, strongly acidic soils with high saturation of exchangeable Al (up to 80%).Leaf analysis revealed that Cordia is a highly demanding species in respect to macronutrients. Poorly growing trees in slope position suffered from an insufficient supply of N and P. K/Mg ratios of chlorotic leaves are very low. Soil analysis showed that nutrient deficiencies were related to (i) insufficient soil nutrient reserves of the poor, tropical soils or (ii) to an inhibition of nutrient uptake by soil physical or chemical factors.All sites are characterized by very low K reserves and losses of nutrients that are organically bound (N, P) caused by erosion. In the Mg-rich red soils, low amounts of K lead to K/Mg imbalances. Soil compaction caused by cattle grazing occurs on both soil units. In negatively influences the root development of Cordia, and hence nutrient uptake. In the brown soils, high amounts of exchangeable Al hinder a sufficient supply of nutrients (e.g.P) to the assimilation organs.     

Isolation of cladosporium trichoides from nature

The effect of osmotic pressure and salinity on the production of conidia and growth of Aspergillus niger and Paecilomyces lilacinum, isolated from the soil, have been studied in this investigation. The maximum production of conidia in both species was observed in the nutrient medium containing 1% NaCl whereas maximum growth was recorded in the nutrient medium containing 3% NaCl. It has been thus observed that the salinity and the osmotic pressure related to it effect the reproductive as well as the vegetative development of both these species, and these effects have been observed to be different. The sensitivity of both fungal species to the salt was also investigated. Conidia were not observed in the P. lilacinum species grown in nutrient medium with 5% NaCl whereas conidial development did take place in the case of Aspergillus niger grown in the nutrient medium containing 5% NaCl.     

Effects of labile soil carbon on nutrient partitioning between an arctic graminoid and microbes

We measured partitioning of N and P uptake between soil microorganisms and potted Festuca vivipara in soil from a subarctic heath in response to factorial addition of three levels of labile carbon (glucose) combined with two levels of inorganic N and P. The glucose was added to either non-sterilized or sterilized (autoclaved) soils in quantities which were within the range of reported, naturally occurring amounts of C released periodically from the plant canopy. The aims were, firstly, to examine whether the glucose stimulated microbial nutrient uptake to the extent of reducing plant nutrient uptake. This is expected in nutrient-deficient soils if microbes and plants compete for the same nutrients. Secondly, we wanted to test our earlier␣interpretation that growth reduction observed in graminoids after addition of leaf extracts could be caused directly by labile carbon addition, rather than by phytotoxins in the extracts. Addition of high amounts of N did not affect the microbial N pool, whereas high amounts of added P significantly increased the microbial P pool, indicating a luxury P uptake in the microbes. Both plant N and in particular P uptake increased strongly in response to soil sterilization and to addition of extra N or P. The increased␣uptake led to enhanced plant growth when both elements were applied in high amounts, but only led to increased tissue concentrations without growth responses when the nutrients were added separately. Glucose had strong and contrasting effects on plant and microbial N and P uptake. Microbial N and P uptake increased, soil inorganic N and P concentrations were reduced and plant N and P uptake declined when glucose was added. The responses were dose-dependent within the range of 0–450 μg C g⁻¹ soil added to the non-sterilized soil. The opposite responses of plants and microbes showed that plant acquisition of limiting nutrients is dependent on release of nutrients from the soil microbes, which is under strong regulation by the availability and microbial uptake of labile C. Hence, we conclude, firstly, that the microbial populations can compete efficiently with plants for nutrients to an extent of affecting plant growth when the microbial access to labile carbon is high in nutrient deficient soils. We also conclude that reduced growth of plants after addition of leaf extracts to soil can be caused by carbon-induced shifts in nutrient partitioning between plants and microbes, and not necessarily by phytotoxins added with the extracts as suggested by some experiments. Received: 15 February 1997 / Accepted: 12 July 1997     

The evaluation of plant-available sulphur in soils. II

Summary The availability to oats of adsorbed sulphate in soils and of sulphate impurity in calcium carbonate was studied in pot-culture experiments.When calcium carbonate was added to soils with pH values ranging from 5.7 to 7.4 the uptake of sulphur by oats was increased, due probably to enhanced mineralization of soil organic sulphur. When the calcium carbonate contained sulphate impurity the uptake of sulphur was further increased by an amount comparable with the release of sulphate which could be expected from a reaction of the calcium carbonate with the exchangeable hydrogen of the soil. Sulphate in excess of this amount appeared to be largely unavailable. Uptake of sulphur by oats from calcareous sands containing large amounts of insoluble sulphate associated with calcium carbonate also suggested that soil sulphur in this form had very low availability to plants.Substantial increases in the amounts of sulphur extracted by reagents commonly used for the determination of adsorbed sulphate in soils occurred when soils were airdried at about 20°C. Decreases in adsorbed sulphate in soils following the growth of oats in pot culture confirmed that adsorbed sulphate is readily available to plants.     

Phosphorus availability under alley cropping and mulched and unmulched sole cropping systems in Costa Rica

Phosphorus availability was measured in soils under five cropping systems: alley cropping with Erythrina poeppigiana, alley cropping with Gliricidia sepium, sole cropping with Erythrina poeppigiana mulch applied, sole cropping with Gliricidia sepium mulch applied, sole cropping with no mulch. The following parameters were measured: 1) plant-available soil P assessed by P uptake of maize and bean bioassay plants; 2) phosphate desorbable by anion exchange resin; 3) adsorption of added P into isotopically exchangeable and non-exchangeable pools.In the bioassay, P uptake of beans declined in the order: mulched sole-cropped>unmulched sole-cropped>alley-cropped soils. For maize the relative uptake was: mulched sole-cropped>unmulched sole-cropped = alley-cropped soils. These results suggest trees had not incorporated a significant quantity of P into the system after seven years and, probably, there was a decrease in available soil P due to the sequestration of P in the tree biomass. Potentially resin-desorbable P was higher in alley-cropped and mulched sole-cropped soils than in unmulched sole-cropped soils. The adsorption and desorption of added P into and from exchangeable and non-exchangeable pools did not differ between alley-cropped and unmulched sole-cropped soils.Crop yield and crop N, P and K uptake were all higher in the alley crops than in the unmulched sole crop. The supply of P to the crop under alley cropping seems to be dependent on P cycled and released from the mulch. The P cycle in alley cropping appears to be self-sustaining at least under conditions of moderate P fertiliser input.     

Indices of availability of soil calcium to plants

Summary The four soils, Delhi (alluvial), Pusa (calcareous), Ratnagiri, (red) and Ujjain (black) were equilibrated with solutions of 30 and 120 me/l salinities and 7, 11, 15, 19, 27 and 40 S.A.R.'s. Exchangeable cations of the alcohol washed salt-free soils were determined. The dry weight and calcium and magnesium in the rye seedlings used in the Neubauer seedlings technique for these soils were also estimated. The correlation co-efficients of available calcium (as measured by the Neubauer seedlings technique) with S.A.R. of the equilibrating solution, modified calcium adsorption ratio (a new function of the equilibrating solution) and exchangeable soil calcium, were calculated.The soils equilibrated at higher salinity have low amounts of calcium and magnesium at any value of the S.A.R. of the equilibrating solutions as was shown by the reduction of the plant weight and less calcium and magnesium uptakes by stem and root. There was also a considerable reduction in the calcium uptake by the rye seedlings due to an increase in the S.A.R. of the equilibrating solutions.The investigation showed that m.Ca.A.R. (a new function of the equilibrating solution) was superior to the other indices in five out of the eight cases. The exchangeable calcium is superior in two cases and S.A.R. in one.     

Root-induced increases in soil pH and nutrient availability to field-grown cereals and legumes on acid sandy soils of Sudano-Sahelian West Africa

A field experiment with millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) and groundnut (Arachnis hypogeae L.) was conducted on severely P-deficient acid sandy soils of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to measure changes in pH and nutrient availability as affected by distance from the root surface and by mineral fertiliser application. Treatments included three rates of phosphorus (P) and four levels of nitrogen (N) application. Bulk, rhizosphere and rhizoplane soils were sampled at 35, 45 and 75 DAS in 1997 and at 55 and 65 DAS in 1998. Regardless of the cropping system and level of mineral fertiliser applied, soil pH consistently increased between 0.7 and two units from the bulk soil to the rhizoplane of millet. Similar pH gradients were observed in cowpea, but pH changes were much smaller in sorghum with a difference of only 0.3 units. Shifts in pH led to large increases in nutrient availability close to the roots. Compared with the bulk soil, available P in the rhizoplane was between 190 and 270% higher for P-Bray and between 360 and 600% higher for P-water. Exchangeable calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels were also higher in the millet rhizoplane than in the bulk soil, whereas exchangeable aluminium (Al) levels decreased with increasing pH close to the root surface. The results suggest an important role of root-induced pH increases for crops to cope with acidity-induced nutrient deficiency and Al stress of soils in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mobilization of Cu and Zn by root exudates of dicotyledonous plants in resin-buffered solutions and in soil

It has been frequently suggested that root exudates play a role in trace metal mobilization and uptake by plants, but there is little in vivo evidence. We studied root exudation of dicotyledonous plants in relation to mobilization and uptake of Cu and Zn in nutrient solutions and in a calcareous soil at varying Cu and Zn supply. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) were grown on resin-buffered nutrient solutions at varying free ion activities of Cu (pCu 13.0–10.4) and Zn (pZn 10.1–6.6). The Cu and Zn concentrations in the nutrient solution increased with time, except in plant-free controls, indicating that the plant roots released organic ligands that mobilized Cu and Zn from the resin. At same pCu, soluble Cu increased more at low Zn supply, as long as Zn deficiency effects on growth were small. Zinc deficiency was observed in most treatment solutions with pZn ≥ 9.3, but not in nutrient solutions of a smaller volume/plant ratio in which higher Zn concentrations were observed at same pZn. Root exudates of Zn-deficient plants showed higher specific UV absorbance (SUVA, an indicator of aromaticity and metal affinity) than those of non-deficient plants. Measurement of the metal diffusion flux with the DGT technique showed that the Cu and Zn complexes in the nutrient solutions were highly labile. Diffusive transport (through the unstirred layer surrounding the roots) of the free ion only could not explain the observed plant uptake of Cu and of Zn at low Zn²⁺ activity. The Cu and Zn uptake by the plants was well explained if it was assumed that the complexes with root exudates contributed 0.4% (Cu) or 20% (Zn) relative to the free ion. In the soil experiment, metal concentrations and organic C concentrations were larger in the solution of planted soils than in unplanted controls. The SUVA of the soil solution after plant growth was higher for unamended soils, on which the plants were Zn-deficient, than for Zn-amended soils. In conclusion, root exudates of dicotyledonous plants are able to mobilize Cu and Zn, and plants appear to respond to Zn deficiency by exuding root exudates with higher metal affinity.     

Biomass production and nutrient dynamics in three clones of Populus deltoides planted on Indogangetic plains

Three clones of Populus deltoides were raised on the degraded soils of Gangetic alluvium in north India (26°45 N; 80°53E). The soil was compact, sodic and impervious to water associated with nutrient deficiency or toxicity. Clones G3 and G48 produced nearly similar biomass of 49 t ha_-1 at 10 yr, whereas, clone D121 did not perform well. All the clones depicted a polynomial growth pattern of net productions during 5–10 yr culminating on 8–9 yr. Clone G48 outscored in net production and its nutrient demand particularly for N was relatively less than other two clones. A high nitrogen requirement of clone G3 was accomplished by adopting a tight cycling through greater retranslocations from the senescising leaf and lesser return by litter fall. Whereas, the process for P and K contents did not vary between the clones G3 and G48. In contrast, a lose cycling of nutrient by clone G48, increased its nutrient use efficiency based on net production per unit of nutrient uptake or requirement except to K and Ca elements. Grass communities contributed significantly in efficient nutrient recycling and soil amelioration. Symptoms of nutrient depletion in the soil have not been yet distinguished during the five years and rather soil was ameliorated to some extent through the elevated levels of total N, exchangeable Ca and Mg contents. A marked reduction of exchangeable Na content in the soil, particularly by G48 clone, would be in favour of plant productivity to next rotation as the Na toxicity in sodic soils limits the plant growth. Clone G3 dominated in nutrient removal from the site during wood extraction. This study infers that clone G48 has a modest potential of cropping at a short rotation of 9 yr, preferably under an agroforestry land use system on such degraded soils.     

Speciation analysis of nickel in soil solutions and availability to oat plants

Soil solutions were collected for speciation analysis of nickel from a pot experiment with oats. Oat plants (Avena sativa L.) were grown on 3 soils differing in total amount and origin of nickel (Ni) (Luvisol, LS with 28 mg kg^-1; sludge amended Luvisol, LS+SS with 32 mg kg^-1; Cambisol, CS with 95 mg kg^-1). Results were compared with those for soil solutions obtained from corresponding unplanted pots. Separation methods were used for characterization of size and charge distribution and stability of the Ni species. In addition, short-term experiments were performed on the uptake rates of Ni by oat plants from the different soil solutions as well as from nutrient solutions with increasing concentrations of a synthetic chelator.The Ni concentrations in the soil solutions of unplanted soils increased in the order: LS5000 g mol^-1) was the predominant form, whereas in the other soils the low-molecular-size cationic and chelated Ni species (500–1000 g mol^-1) dominated in the soil solution. In the short-term uptake studies, the uptake rates of Ni from the solutions decreased in the order: nutrient solution > soil solutions, and in the latter in the order: LS>LS+SS>CS, which was inversely related to the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in the soil solutions.The results demonstrate that Ni availability to plants is not only affected by total concentration of Ni in the soil solution and the rate of replenishment from the solid phase, but also by Ni species, which can differ considerably between soil types.     

Long-term effects of cutting tap roots ofPinus caribaea growing on infertile savanna soils

Summary The content of elements in needles ofPinus caribaea trees growing upon infertile savanna soils was analysed at 3 and 5 years after the tap roots of a subset of trees had been severed. No significant differences were found between the content of elements in treated and control trees, nor were significant differences found in increments of diameter of the trees over 5 years. It is concluded that this organ plays no significant nutritional role in the trees on these soils, and that tree growth can be achieved exclusively from atmospheric nutrient accessions and exchangeable nutrient reserves in the topsoil.