Carl Johan Westman. (1995). A simple device for sampling of volumetric forest soil cores. Silva Fennica vol. 29 no. 3 article id 5560. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.a9211

Keywords: fine roots; soil density; sampling; root biomass; soil samples; podzolic soil; spatial sampling

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

A simple, manually-operated and easily portable device for sampling volumetric soil cores to a depth of 100 cm with a minimum soil disturbance is described. The device consists of a sample tube, a sampler and an extension tube. A dead blow nylon mallet is used to force the sampler into the soil and a small winch attached to an aluminium tube pulls the sampler from the soil. The total weight of the equipment (sampler, mallet and winch) is 18.5 kg and may be carried in the trunk of a small car. Sampling is easily done by one person in good physical condition but four-handed operation is recommended as more efficient. The sampling device has been in heavy use during the summers of 1993–95 when several hundred soil cores have been extracted on various sites all over Finland.

Westman, E-mail: cw@mm.unknown

Category : Research article

article id 970, category Research article

Zhen-Yu Du, Qing-Hua Wang, Shang-Jun Xing, Fang-Chun Liu, Bing-Yao Ma, Hai-Lin Ma, De-Xi Liu. (2013). Fine root distribution, characteristics and rhizosphere soil properties in a mixed stand of Robinia pseudoacacia and Fraxinus velutina in a saline soil. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 3 article id 970. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.970

Keywords: mixed forest; fine root; black locust; velvet ash; rhizhosphere soil

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The spatial distribution and characteristics of fine roots (< 2 mm in diameter), and rhizosphere soil properties were studied in a mixed planted forest of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina Torr.) 27 years after planting in a coastal saline soil of the Yellow River delta, China. The results of fine root analysis showed that the fine roots of both black locust and velvet ash were mainly distributed in the soil layer at 0–20 cm depth and 50–150 cm from trees. The fine root distribution of both species suggests a strategy of avoiding salinity rather than salt –tolerance. The horizontal spread distance of fine roots of velvet ash was evidently longer than that of black locust. The fine root biomass, specific root length, specific root area, specific root volume and root activity were significantly higher for velvet ash in comparison with black locust. The results of soil analysis showed that rhizosphere soil pH of black locust and velvet ash were significantly lower compared with non-rhizosphere soil. The available N content in rhizosphere soil of black locust was higher than that of velvet ash. However, the contents of soluble salt, organic matter, available P and available K in rhizosphere soil of velvet ash were higher than those of black locust. The above results indicated that the differences between black locust and velvet ash in fine root distribution, characteristics and rhizosphere soil properties were the major reasons for that velvet ash showed stronger acclimation responses than black locust to the coastal saline soil.

Du, Shandong Academy of Forestry, 42 Wenhua East Road, Jinan 250014, P. R. China E-mail: zydu@qq.com
Wang, Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, P. R. China E-mail: wqh0228@163.com
Xing, Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, P. R. China E-mail: xingsj-126@126.com
Liu, Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, P. R. China E-mail: fchliu@126.com
Ma, Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, P. R. China E-mail: mby777@163.com
Ma, Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, P. R. China E-mail: mahlin@163.com
Liu, Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, P. R. China E-mail: llyldx@163.com

article id 294, category Research article

Ülle Püttsepp, Krista Lõhmus, Andres Koppel. (2007). Decomposition of fine roots and α-cellulose in a short rotation willow (Salix spp.) plantation on abandoned agricultural land. Silva Fennica vol. 41 no. 2 article id 294. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.294

Keywords: decomposition; α-cellulose; fine roots; acid detergent lignin; short rotation forest; Salix spp.

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Decomposition of fine roots (<1 mm in diameter) of the clones of Salix viminalis, S. dasyclados and α-cellulose sheets (50 x 10 x 1 mm) was studied in a 6-years old Salix spp. plantation established on abandoned agricultural land in Estonia. The substrates were incubated in litterbags (mesh size 0.14 mm) in 5–10 cm topsoil, in non-fertilised plots for one year. Changes in the ash-free weight of the fine roots were best described by negative exponential models (S. viminalis R² = 0.98, S. dasyclados R² = 0.96), and by a linear model for α-cellulose (R² = 0.63). The sheets of α-cellulose decomposed roughly twice as rapidly as the fine roots (S. viminalis k = 0.325, S. dasyclados k = 0.165). The remaining (of the initial) ash-free weights of the fine roots were 73.3 ± 0.8% (mean ± SE) and 85.8 ± 2.2% respectively, and of the α-cellulose 35.9 ± 8.5%, in the end of the one year of decomposition. The amount of acid detergent (AD) lignin in the fine-roots of S. viminalis increased significantly and did not change in S. dasyclados, suggesting higher activity of microbial decomposers in the first substrate. Of the studied quality parameters, the AD lignin was the major factor determining the different rate of decomposition of the fine roots of S. viminalis and S. dasyclados. Nitrogen was recycled in the fine root sub-system in both Salix species. This knowledge can be applied in the management of Salix plantations, aimed at bioenergy production.

Püttsepp, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7072, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden; Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreuzwaldi 64, Tartu 51014, Estonia E-mail: ulle.puttsepp@ekol.slu.se
Lõhmus, Institute of Geography, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51014, Estonia E-mail: kl@nn.ee
Koppel, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreuzwaldi 64, Tartu 51014, Estonia E-mail: ak@nn.ee

article id 306, category Research article

Niina Tanskanen, Hannu Ilvesniemi. (2007). Spatial distribution of fine roots at ploughed Norway spruce forest sites. Silva Fennica vol. 41 no. 1 article id 306. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.306

Keywords: Picea abies; forest soil; fine roots; ploughing; spatial distribution; specific root length; understorey roots

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

We examined the spatial distribution of fine roots at two forest sites that were ploughed 20 (site K1) and 33 years (site K2) before sampling and planted with Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings. Soil core samples were taken from the tilt and beneath the tilt, the furrow and the intermediate undisturbed soil to a depth of 0.4 m for fine root biomass, length and necromass determinations. Norway spruce fine roots were found throughout the ploughed forest sites. The fine roots were, however, unevenly distributed: the fine root biomass was highest in the tilt (624 and 452 g m^–2 at sites K1 and K2, respectively) and lowest in the undisturbed soil at site K1 (79 g m^–2) and in the furrow at site K2 (145 g m^–2). The estimated average fine root biomass at the ploughed forest sites (268 and 248 g m^–2 at sites K1 and K2, respectively) was, however, similar to those presented in other studies concerning sites that had not been ploughed. In the tilt, a substantial proportion of the fine roots was in the inverted mineral soil horizons and in the new organic horizon above the tilt. Consistent with the fine root biomass findings, the Norway spruce necromass was highest in the tilt but the vertical distribution of the dead roots was different: the necromass was highest in the buried O_BT horizon. The results of this study suggest that at the ploughed forest sites, a substantial part of Norway spruce nutrient and water uptake occured in the tilt during the first 20 or 33 years after plantation.

Tanskanen, Department of Forest Ecology, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: niina.tanskanen@helsinki.fi
Ilvesniemi, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: hi@nn.fi

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