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Preliminary Report on Mineral Deficiencies in Douglas‐fir and Western Red Cedar
Author(s) -
Gessel Stanley P.,
Walker Richard B.,
Haddock Philip G.
Publication year - 1951
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1951.036159950015000c0083x
Subject(s) - haddock , citation , library science , douglas fir , history , archaeology , forestry , computer science , geography , biology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii>
A LARGE portion of the forested land in western Washington and Oregon is in second growth economy. Foresters are vitally concerned with securing a rapid growth of healthy forest stands on these areas, but little is known about the physiology and soil requirements of the trees concerned. Recent interest in forest soils in the area has emphasized the lack of this basic knowledge. Attempts to supply the practicing forester with usable information on forest soils are unprofitable because a basis for interpretation of the data is lacking. Nutrient levels in soils can not be evaluated in terms of forest growth because the mineral requirements of the tree species are not known. Some observations have indicated that nutrient deficiency may not be a limiting factor in forest growth in many instances (11). However, on many of our low sites for Douglas-fir (7) the trees show distinct chlorosis which seems to be associated with mineral deficiencies. Progress has been made in the study of physical properties of the soil and tree growth (1, 2), but no intensive attempt has been made to secure adequate data on mineral nutrition of forest trees and related problems in the Pacific Northwest. Some trees of other regions have been studied more thoroughly but these results do not necessarily apply to Northwestern species (6). In an effort to answer some of the basic questions on mineral nutrition of forest trees a joint investigation was inaugurated by the'College of Forestry and the Botany Department of the University of Washington. The aim was to study the mineral nutrition of two important forest trees, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga taxijolia (Poir.) Britt.) and western red cedar (Thuja plicata Don.) and the relation of their mineral requirements to the growth of these species on soils in western Washington. Four approaches employed to obtain preliminary information were: (a) analysis of foliage of forest grown trees, (b) growth of tree seedlings in sand cultures and •nutrient solutions, (c) pot culture tests with romaine lettuce, and (d) field fertilization of established stands of trees. Details of the results of these approaches are given in subsequent sections. The data reported are preliminary, but are sufficient to indicate certain trends.