%0 Research article
%T Effects of wood ash fertilization on forest soil chemical properties
%A Saarsalmi, Anna
%A Mälkönen, Eino
%A Piirainen, Sirpa
%D 2001
%J Silva Fennica
%V 35
%N 3
%R doi:10.14214/sf.590
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/590
%X The effects of wood ash fertilization on soil chemical properties were  studied in three young Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plantations and a  Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) plantation with different site  fertility in southern Finland. The dose of 3 t ha–1 of loose wood ash  was applied to 4 replicate plots (25 x 25 m) at each experiment. Humus  layer and mineral soil samples were taken before the treatment and 7 and  16 years after wood ash application. Results showed that neutralization  as well as fertilization effects of wood ash on forest soil were of  long duration. An ash-induced pH increase of 0.6–1.0 pH units and  exchangeable acidity (EA) decrease of 58–83% were detected in the humus  layer 16 years after wood ash application. The decrease in acidity was  most pronounced on the Calluna site with initially the lowest pH and  highest EA. In the mineral soil the increase in pH was observed later  than in the humus layer. After 16 years, the mineral soil pH was  increased (0.2–0.3 pH units) on the Vaccinium and Myrtillus sites. A  corresponding and in most cases a significant increase in the  extractable Ca and Mg concentrations was detected in both the humus  layer and in the mineral soil. Wood ash significantly increased the  effective cation exchange capacity (CECe) and base saturation (BS) but  decreased the concentration of exchangeable Al in both soil layers on  all the sites. No response of N availability to wood ash application  could be found.