Veikko Huhta, Riitta Hyvönen, Antti Koskenniemi, Pekka Vilkamaa, Paula Kaasalainen, Minna Sulander. (1986). Response of soil fauna to fertilization and manipulation of pH in coniferous forests. Acta Forestalia Fennica no. 195 article id 7641. https://doi.org/10.14214/aff.7641

Keywords: PK fertilizers; ash; nitrogen fertilizers; invertebrate; Nematoda; soil ecology; Enchytraeidae; microarthropods; macroarthropods; Lumbricidae

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The effect of different fertilizer treatments on the invertebrate fauna on coniferous forest soil were investigated during the years 1979-83 both in field and in laboratory experiments. Fertilizers tested were urea (both alone and with P and K), ammonium nitrate and ashes. Ash-treatment was also controlled by raising the pH at the same level with Ca(OH)₂.

Both ashes and urea resulted in considerable changes in the soil fauna. Nematodes, especially bacterial feeders, increased temporarily. Some families of Coleoptera invaded the urea-treated plots. Enchytraceid worms and several microarthropod species decreased, as well as the total animal biomass. Ash-treatment influenced more slowly than did urea-fertilizing, but it caused more permanent changes. Ammonium nitrate with lime had little influence in the field. All fertilizers affected more strongly when mixed with soil in laboratory. pH alone proved to explain most of the changes observed, but nitrogen as a nutrient also plays role independently of acidity.

The PDF includes a summary in Finnish.

Huhta, E-mail: vh@mm.unknown
Hyvönen, E-mail: rh@mm.unknown
Koskenniemi, E-mail: ak@mm.unknown
Vilkamaa, E-mail: pv@mm.unknown
Kaasalainen, E-mail: pk@mm.unknown
Sulander, E-mail: ms@mm.unknown

Category : Research article

article id 48, category Research article

Jyrki Hytönen, Lasse Aro. (2012). Biomass and nutrition of naturally regenerated and coppiced birch on cutaway peatland during 37 years. Silva Fennica vol. 46 no. 3 article id 48. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.48

Keywords: Betula; biomass production; coppicing; fertilization; PK fertilizers; wood ash

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Biomass production and nutrient use of birch thickets with a mixture of willow on a cut away peatland in southern Finland over a period of 37 years was studied. Dense, naturally regenerated 16-year-old birch stands were cut down, fertilized with either wood ash (P 108 and K 339 kg ha^–1) or PK fertilizer (P 50 and K 95 kg ha^–1) or left unfertilized. The biomass production of the coppiced stands and one uncut stand was monitored for a period of 21 years. Soil nutrient and foliar nutrient concentrations were analyzed several times during the study period. Ash fertilization supplied more nutrients than PK fertilization and increased the soil nutrient amounts more. The foliar phosphorus concentration of birch on control plots indicated a severe phosphorus deficiency which was removed by PK and ash fertilization. Fertilization did not increase nutrient concentrations of the stem (wood + bark) nor the amount of nutrients bound in the biomass. Two energy wood rotations (16+21 years) produced 124–158 Mg ha^–1 of leafless, above-ground biomass altogether corresponding to 61–78 Mg ha^–1 of carbon. The highest biomass yield was achieved with a rotation of 37 years in the uncut stand (211 Mg ha^–1). Corresponding values for mean annual increment (MAI) were 3.4–4.3 Mg ha^–1 and 5.7 Mg ha^–1. This study shows that the length of the rotation for birch in energy wood production should be longer than 21 years. PK and ash fertilization increased the biomass of coppiced 21-year-old birch by 23 Mg ha^–1 and 33 Mg ha^–1, respectively.

Hytönen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Kannus, Finland E-mail: jyrki.hytonen@metla.fi
Aro, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Kannus, Finland E-mail: lasse.aro@metla.fi

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