Albert L. Leaf

Differential foliar responses of northern hardwoods to fertilization

A 70-year-old thinned northeastern Fagus-Betula-Acer stand in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York was fertilized with varying combinations of N, P, K, and lime in the spring of 1976.Betula alleghaniensis Brit.,Acer saccharum Marsh.,Acer rubrum L., andFagus grandifolia Ehrh. foliage was collected in the autumn for 1974 through 1977 and analyzed for foliage areas and weights, and levels of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Na, Fe, Zn, Al, Cu, and Co. Comparisons are made within species and among treatments, expressed as concentrations on a dry weight basis. Elemental composition is examined to determine the differential foliar responses to fertilization.

Stand treatment and sampling time of hardwood foliage

A 70-year-old thinned northeastern Fagus-Betula-Acer stand in the Adirondack Mountains of New York was fertilized with varying combinations of N, P, K and lime.Acer saccharum Marsh. andBetula alleghaniensis Brit. foliage was collected periodically during the frost-free season and analyzed for foliage areas and weights, and levels of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg. Comparisons were made within species, and among treatments, expressed as concentrations on dry weight and ash bases, and as contents on per leaf weight and area bases. Elemental composition trends over time were examined to determine treatment effects and optimum sampling period.

Root Distribution of a Plantation‐Grown Red Pine in an Outwash Soil

Root distribution and mass of a single dominant sample tree (17 m high, 20 cm diameter) in a 39—year—old Pinus resinosa Ait. plantation supported by a deep, stratified, outwash sandy soil were related to soil horizonation characteristics and aboveground tree components (foilage, branches, bolebark, and bolewood). All roots were excavated by hand in the A_p and B horizons and by 0.3—m depths in the C strata, were separated into five size classes, cleaned, dried, and weighed. Root—depth penetration terminated in a great number of fine roots in a thick, very fine sandy—silty stratum below the coarser textured solum at 2.7 m. Lateral root distribution was extremely variable; the maximum radial extent was approximately 9 m from the stump. Total root weight was approximately twice the total needle weight. See full-text article at JSTOR

Biomass and chemical composition of fertilized and/or irrigated Pinus resinosa Ait. plantations

Estimates were made of the above-ground biomass and contents of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Al, Fe, Zn, and Cu by plant components for a 40-year-old Pinus resinosa Ait. plantation growing on a known K-deficient site and treated with KCl fertilizer and/or irrigation. Regression equations were developed from sample-tree data, obtained by total tree analysis techniques, for each tree component on each treatment. After an examination of analytical techniques, it was determined that the contents of the fertilized trees increased more than 140 per cent K, 70 per cent Mn, and 50 per cent N compared to the nonfertilized trees, while the increases in contents of the other elements were more closely related to the 22 percent increase in the biomass of the fertilized trees. The approximate ratio of contents of elements in the total above-ground biomass, expressing Cu=1, was Ca 1000, N 800, K 260, P 90, Mn 90, Mg 75, Al 50, Na 20, Fe 15, Zn 8, Cu 1. The 75 kg per ha more K in the above-ground biomass of the fertilized trees compared to nonfertilized trees was about 15 per cent of the total K applied in the fertilizer. The influence of irrigation on the biomass and chemical composition of the trees was minimal.

Growth and nutrient uptake of coniferous seedlings: Comparison among 10 species at various seedbed densities

SummaryThe evaluation of biomass production and uptake of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg for various plant components (roots, stems, and foliage) and totals by 10 species of 2-0 coniferous seedlings grown at a controlled range of densities in a highly productive forest nursery documents considerable differences among species and seedling parameters. The species are ranked by biomass and nutrient-element relationships on a unit area of seedbed basis, quantifying the magnitude of the differences among the species at the various density levels. The 10 species include Abies balsamea, Larix leptolepis, Picea abies, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Picea pungens, Pinus resinosa, Pinus strobus, Pinus sylvestris, and Pseudotsuga menziesii.

A comparison of the growth and nutrition ofPicea abies (L.) karst. andPinus resinosa ait. On a K-deficient site subjected to K fertilization

SummaryOn the oldest continuously studied forest fertilization trials in North America, at Pack Forest in New York State, a pronounced tree growth response has been attained with only K fertilization.In 1951 110 kg per ha of K was applied broadcast to a 19 year oldPicea abies plantation and in 1950 90 kg per ha of K was applied broadcast to a 20 year oldPinus resinosa plantation. After 14 years from treatment for thePicea abies and 12 years from treatment for thePinus resinosa the growth response, and nutrient element uptake and distribution was examined by total tree analysis. There was a highly significant response to fertilization for both species. This response affected the dry weight proportions of the various tissue components, foliage, live branches, dead branches, bolebark and bolewood, in the fertilized and control plots of each species.Pinus resinosa produced more total weight on this site without treatment and responded much more strikingly to fertilization treatment thanPicea abies. Picea abies nutrient uptake of N, P and Ca was approximately equal to or greater than that uptake byPinus resinosa on the control plots while the reverse was true for K and Mg. K fertilization exaggerated the differences in uptake between species. Fertilization in some cases altered the ranking of nutrient element content in various tissue components and the ranking of tissue components for the various nutrients elements.This study quantifies the magnitude of the differences between the ecological efficiences of the two species.

Response ofPinus resinosa ait. Plantations to potassium fertilization on a potassium-deficient site

SummaryUsing deviations of the cumulative height growth due to fertilization treatments from the linear finite difference curve of untreated red pine trees in plantations, it was noted that: 1) large-sized trees responded in height growth to fertilization in the year following treatment while the medium and small trees took two years to respond; 2) medium-size trees responded to fertilization similar to large trees, but to a lesser magnitude; and 3) small trees are further suppressed by fertilization due to growth responses in the large medium trees.

Pure maple syrup: nutritive value.

Variations in concentrations of sugar, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium of sap from sugar maple (Acer saccharum, Marsh.) trees are related to the time of sap collection and result in variation of the same components in pure maple syrup. Thirty milliliters (one fluid ounce) of pure maple syrup may contain 3 to 6 mg of phosphorus, 10 to 30 mg of potassium, 40 to 80 mg of calcium, and 4 to 25 mg of magnesium.

Morphological and chemical analyses of red pine (Pinus resinosa ait.) buds

SummaryOn a known red pine, K-deficient to non-K-deficient, site continuum which has been examined for tree morphological and chemical properties along with soil physical and chemical properties, results of bud analyses are presented and discussed as a possible diagnostic technique. Simple correlations between all pairs of bud morphological properties and between these properties and tree height, and between all pairs of bud chemical properties and between these properties and tree height were examined; and the results of the bud nutrient element concentrations and tree height were subjected to a multiple regression analysis.The results demonstrated the potential value of bud chemical analysis for diagnostic purposes.