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An equation to describe vertical gradients of element concentrations in soils under beech and spruce stands
Author(s) -
Chodak Marcin,
Ludwig Bernard,
Beese Friedrich
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/1522-2624(200210)165:5<602::aid-jpln602>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - beech , fagus sylvatica , picea abies , soil water , chemistry , soil horizon , mineralogy , soil science , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental chemistry , botany , geology , biology
A description of element gradients in organic layers and the uppermost parts of the mineral soil may give information on their storage and cycling in forest ecosystems. The objectives were to describe vertical gradients of C, N, P, S, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Al contents under beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.), spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.), and mixed beech‐spruce stands and to obtain an easy method for the estimation of nutrient stocks and their distribution in the organic layer at a regional scale. Organic layers and upper 5 cm of mineral soil from 90 profiles were cut centimeterwise. Samples were analyzed for contents of C and N and P, S, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Al after pressure digestion in HNO 3 . Contents of C, N, P, S, Ca, and Mn decreased whereas contents of Na, K, Mg, Fe, and Al increased with depth. The gradients of C, N, P, S, Na, K, Mn, Fe, and Al were described satisfactorily using the following equation after transforming the maximal height of the organic horizon to 0 cm: E(d) = E M + (E L — E M )/[1+(α × d) β ] (1‐1/β) where E(d) is the element concentration at depth d, E L and E M are the concentrations of the element in the L layer and in the mineral soil at 5 cm depth, respectively, and α and β are fitting parameters. Linear correlation coefficients (r) of measured against modeled element contents were ≥ 0.8 and regression coefficients (a) varied between 0.8 and 1.2 (with the exception of P, Fe, and Na for some profiles). The parameters α and β depended on the height of the organic horizon. An effect of the tree species on the parameters was found only for Mn and Fe. The equation enabled the estimation of the stocks of C, N, P, and S in organic horizon with satisfying accuracy (r ≥ 0.8, 0.8 ≤ a ≤ 1.0), after measuring only the height of the organic horizon. However, the prediction of the stocks of other elements was less satisfactory.