Accumulation of, and interactions between, calcium and heavy metals in wood and bark of Picea abies

Spreading of wood ashes from the pulp and paper industry will change the content and proportions of calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) in forest soils and thus also in the forest trees. The accumulation and distributions of, and interaction between, Ca and heavy metals in wood and bark of two‐year‐old Norway spruce ( Picea abies [L.] Karst.) were investigated in this study. The treatment was carried out for 3 months in nutrient solutions, and there was a low or a high addition of Ca, Cd, Cu or Zn. The metal accumulation in, and distribution between, the bark, the wood formed during the treatment period (new wood), and the wood formed before the treatment period (old wood) was analyzed with AAS. The contents of the metals in the stems (i.e., bark, new wood, old wood) increased with elevated addition of the metal in question, also at the low addition of Ca, Cu, and Zn. Interactions between Ca and the heavy metals were found. Elevated Ca additions decreased the Cd content of the bark and the Zn content of the old wood, and tended to decrease the Cu content of the bark and the Cd content of the old wood. The Ca content decreased in both, wood and bark after Cu addition and the high Cd addition. Thus, even small changes in metal availability and proportions in forest soil, such as after spreading of wood ashes in the forest, will be reflected in the content of the metals in the wood and bark of forest trees.