Phosphorus Limitation in Boreal Forests: Effects of Aluminum and Iron Accumulation in the Humus Layer |
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Authors: | Reiner Giesler Tomas Petersson Peter Högberg |
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Institution: | 1.Soil Science Section, Department of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Ume?, Sweden
,SE |
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Abstract: | Plant growth in boreal forests is generally considered to be predominantly nitrogen (N) limited, but forested groundwater
discharge areas may be exceptions. In this study, we conducted tests to determine whether highly productive forested groundwater
discharge areas generally differ from adjacent groundwater recharge areas in terms of humus chemistry and the availability
of phosphorus (P) and N to plants. We investigated six forested sites, divided into groundwater discharge and adjacent groundwater
recharge areas, in northern Sweden. The humus layers of the forested groundwater discharge areas were clearly distinguished
from the adjacent groundwater recharge areas by having higher acid-digestible calcium (Ca) and/or aluminium (Al) and iron
(Fe) content and higher organic P and N content. Soil solution inorganic N (NH4
+ and NO3
−) and pH were higher in the groundwater discharge areas than in the groundwater recharge areas. The organic P content showed
a positive linear relationship to the Al and Fe content in the humus layer, indicating that organic P is associated with Al
and Fe compounds in the humus. A plant bioassay using humus substrate from one groundwater discharge area and the adjacent
groundwater recharge area found that plants grown in groundwater discharge area humus (with a high P-fixation capacity) increased
their biomass upon P fertilization, whereas no growth response was found for N additions. By contrast, plants grown in humus
from the groundwater recharge area did not respond to added P unless N was added too. This study suggests that groundwater
discharge can affect the nutrient availability of N and P both directly, via increased P fixation due to the redistribution
of Al and Fe, and indirectly, via the inflow of groundwater high in Ca and alkalinity, maintaining a high pH in the humus
layer that favors in situ N turnover processes.
Received 2 March 2001; Accepted 9 November 2001. |
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Keywords: | : aluminum groundwater discharge iron phosphorus limitation phosphate sorption nitrogen availability |
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