Yanlin Fu, Juan A. Oliet, Guolei Li, Jiaxi Wang. (2017). Effect of controlled release fertilizer type and rate on mineral nutrients, non-structural carbohydrates, and field performance of Chinese pine container-grown seedlings. Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 2 article id 1607. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1607

Keywords: growth; nursery fertilization; Pinus tabulaeformis; nutrient loading; outplanting performance

Highlights: We demonstrated that Chinese pine container-grown seedling nutrient status and non-structural carbohydrate content were sufficient over a wide range of fertilization rates; Fertilization at 80 mg N seedling^–1 was optimal for seedling responses in the nursery and field; Nursery fertilization using controlled release fertilizer (CRF) with a single coating layer yielded better seedling nursery performance than CRF with multiple coatings.

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Although controlled release fertilizer (CRF) with single and multiple-layer coatings are extensively used in tree seedlings, studies that compare the impact of CRF type and application rate on seedling growth, nutrient storage, and, most importantly, outplanting performance, are lacking. In the current study, container-grown Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. (Chinese pine) seedlings were fertilized with commercial CRF with either one or multiple coating layers with equivalent formulation and longevity, at six rates ranging from 40 to 240 mg N seedling^–1. Seedlings were sampled for dry mass, non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content, and mineral nutrient status at the end of the growing season in the nursery, and subsequently outplanted for one season. Compared to Chinese pine seedlings fertilized with single-layer CRF treatments, seedlings treated with multiple-layer CRF had higher starch concentrations but reduced dry mass and N, P, K concentrations in the nursery, and reduced diameter growth in the field. Fertilization rates of 80 and 120 mg N seedling^–1 generally yielded maximal plant dry mass and mineral nutrient content. Field survival peaked at 80 mg N seedling^–1. Seedling growth, soluble sugar content, and starch concentration in the nursery and survival in the field consistently decreased at rates of 200 and 240 mg N seedling^–1. In our study, optimal nursery and field performance of P. tabulaeformis were observed using single layer CRF at 80 mg N seedling^–1 (3.3 g CRF l^–1 media).

Fu, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University; Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment; 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: bjfu_fu@163.com
Oliet, Department of Natural Systems and Resources, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain E-mail: juan.oliet@upm.es
Li, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University; Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment; 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: glli226@163.com
Wang, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University; Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment; 35 East Qinghua Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China E-mail: wjx198979@163.com

article id 1211, category Research article

Xiao Chen, Deborah Page-Dumroese, Ruiheng Lv, Weiwei Wang, Guolei Li, Yong Liu. (2014). Interaction of initial litter quality and thinning intensity on litter decomposition rate, nitrogen accumulation and release in a pine plantation. Silva Fennica vol. 48 no. 4 article id 1211. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1211

Keywords: litter quality; litter decomposition; nitrogen cycling; thinning intensity; Pinus tabulaeformis

Highlights: Litter quality and thinning showed an interaction on one year litter decomposition rates, N accumulation, and net N release; N accumulated until the underlying critical acid-unhydrolyzable residue to nitrogen ratio (approximately 57–69) was met; Increased N concentration in litter and thinning intensity induced rapid litter decomposition and N cycling in coniferous plantation with a slow decomposition rate.

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Thinning alters litter quality and microclimate under forests. Both of these two changes after thinning induce alterations of litter decomposition rates and nutrient cycling. However, a possible interaction between these two changes remains unclear. We placed two types of litter (LN, low N concentration litter; HN, high N concentration litter) in a Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carrière) plantation under four thinning treatments to test the impacts of litter quality, thinning or their combination on decomposition rate and N cycling. In our study, N was accumulated to approach an underlying critical acid-unhydrolyzable residue to nitrogen ratio (approximately 57–69) in litter. Moreover, an interaction between litter quality and thinning on decomposition rates, N accumulation and net release did exist. On one hand, one year decomposition rate of LN was elevated after thinning while that of HN remained the same or even lower (under light thinning); N accumulation of LN declined with light thinning and was restored with the increase of thinning intensity whereas that of HN did not decline with thinning and increased under heavy thinning; Net N release from LN was only found in light and heavy thinning while that from HN was found in all treatments, moreover net N release from LN and HN were both elevated under heavy thinning. On the other hand, HN decomposed faster, accumulated less and released more N than LN did under all treatments. Generally, high N concentration in litter and high-intensity thinning can lead to rapid litter decomposition and N cycling in coniferous plantations.

Chen, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China E-mail: chenxiao_0123@126.com
Page-Dumroese, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 1221 South Main Street, Moscow, ID 83843, USA E-mail: ddumroese@fs.fed.us
Lv, College of Plant Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar Xinjiang, 843300, China E-mail: lvrh514723@126.com
Wang, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China E-mail: fuyuerdejia@126.com
Li, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China E-mail: glli226@163.com
Liu, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China E-mail: lyong@bjfu.edu.cn

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