Calcium fertilization increases the concentration of calcium in sapwood and calcium oxalate in foliage of red spruce

Kevin T. Smith; Walter Shortle; Jon H. Connolly; Rakesh Minocha; Jody Jellison

Treesearch

Calcium fertilization increases the concentration of calcium in sapwood and calcium oxalate in foliage of red spruce

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Kevin T. Smith, Walter Shortle, Jon H. Connolly, Rakesh Minocha, Jody Jellison

Year:

2009

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Northern Research Station

Source:

Environmental and Experimental Botany. 67: 277-283.

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Abstract

Calcium cycling plays a key role in the health and productivity of red spruce forests in the northeastern US. A portion of the flowpath of calcium within forests includes translocation as Ca²⁺ in sapwood and accumulation as crystals of calcium oxalate in foliage. Concentrations of Ca in these tree tissues have been used as markers of environmental change due to acidic deposition or forest management practices. We compared the effects of Ca fertilization treatment on Ca concentration in wood and Ca and oxalate (Ox concentration in foliage at two locations with different initial concentrations of Ca in the soil.We found greater amounts of Ca inwood from the high-Ca location than from the low-Ca location. Ca concentration was greater inwood formed in the 1970s than forwood formed in the 1980s, the outermost decadal band in these samples.

Keywords

calcium oxalate, red spruce, dendrochemistry, calcium cycling

Citation

Smith, K.T., W.C. Shortle, J.H. Connolly, R.Minocha, J. Jellison. 2009. Calcium fertilization increases the concentration of calcium in sapwood and calcium oxalate in foliage of red spruce. Environmental and Experimental Botany (67): 277-283.