Relationships among foliar chemistry, foliar polyamines, and soil chemistry in red spruce trees growing across the northeastern United States

Abstract

Forest trees are constantly exposed to various types of natural and anthropogenic stressors. A major long-term goal of our research is to develop a set of early physiological and biochemical markers of stress in trees before the appearance of visual symptoms. Six red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) stands from the northeastern United States were selected for collection of soil and foliage samples. All of the chosen sites had soil solution pH values below 4.0 in the Oa horizon but varied in their geochemistry. Some of these sites were apparently under some form of environmental stress as indicated by a large number of dead and dying red spruce trees. Samples of soil and needles (from apparently healthy red spruce trees) were collected from these sites four times during a two-year period. The needles were analyzed for perchloric acid-soluble polyamines and exchangeable inorganic ions. Soil and soil solution samples from the Oa and B horizons were analyzed for their exchange chemistry.

Citation

Minocha, Rakesh; Shortle, Walter C.; Lawrence, Gregory B.; David, Mark B.; Minocha, Subhash C. 1997. Relationships among foliar chemistry, foliar polyamines, and soil chemistry in red spruce trees growing across the northeastern United States. Plant and Soil. 191: 109-122.