Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce Seedlings
Phosphorus (P) nutrition of forest trees depends on soil P supply, which is poor on sites with sandy, quartz-rich soils and shallow calcareous soils. Soil P is distributed heterogeneously at different spatial scales. I tested the hypothesis that in P-limited forest ecosystems soil P enrichment in ho...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/ffgc.2020.00059/full |
| _version_ | 1818318745202851840 |
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| author | Jörg Prietzel |
| author_facet | Jörg Prietzel |
| author_sort | Jörg Prietzel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Phosphorus (P) nutrition of forest trees depends on soil P supply, which is poor on sites with sandy, quartz-rich soils and shallow calcareous soils. Soil P is distributed heterogeneously at different spatial scales. I tested the hypothesis that in P-limited forest ecosystems soil P enrichment in hotspots results in improved tree P nutrition and growth compared to soils where the same P amount is distributed evenly. In two field P fertilization experiments, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedlings were grown in soils with experimental homogeneous or heterogeneous P enrichment. The soils were amended with P to equal amounts of total P, but different patterns of P enrichment and/or as different P forms (orthophosphate [oPO4]; inositol hexaphosphate [IHP]). One experiment (Achenpass) was conducted with P-poor calcareous soil material of a Rendzic Leptosol (low-P soil), the other (Mitterfels) with Bw horizon material of a Cambisol that had formed on silicate bedrock and was characterized by moderate P concentrations (moderate-P soil). Half of the spruce seedlings additionally received experimentally elevated N deposition. At the low-P calcareous site, shoot and foliage biomass as well as foliar P, N, and S amounts of Norway spruce seedlings were considerably (+70–80%) and significantly larger on soils with spatially heterogeneous compared to homogeneous P distribution. Elevated N deposition reduced soil P heterogeneity effects on spruce by improving seedling growth on soils with homogeneous P distribution. No soil P form diversity effects were observed for spruce seedlings on calcareous soil. At the silicate site with moderate P supply, all seedlings showed excellent P nutrition. Here, only marginal, insignificant positive effects of heterogeneous soil P distribution were observed for the growth of spruce and beech seedlings without elevated N deposition, but foliar P concentrations of spruce seedlings increased significantly. Elevated N deposition resulted in a positive effect of heterogeneous vs. homogeneous soil P distribution on spruce growth (+39%; eta squared: 0.163; p = 0.135) and P nutrition. Our results showed that soil P concentration heterogeneity is beneficial for spruce growth and P nutrition at sites with P-poor calcareous soils, and at silicate sites with ongoing N eutrophication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T09:58:06Z |
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| id | doaj.art-93ba105a15274bfea062bd900e2f541a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-893X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T09:58:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
| spelling | doaj.art-93ba105a15274bfea062bd900e2f541a2022-12-21T23:51:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Forests and Global Change2624-893X2020-05-01310.3389/ffgc.2020.00059533877Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce SeedlingsJörg PrietzelPhosphorus (P) nutrition of forest trees depends on soil P supply, which is poor on sites with sandy, quartz-rich soils and shallow calcareous soils. Soil P is distributed heterogeneously at different spatial scales. I tested the hypothesis that in P-limited forest ecosystems soil P enrichment in hotspots results in improved tree P nutrition and growth compared to soils where the same P amount is distributed evenly. In two field P fertilization experiments, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedlings were grown in soils with experimental homogeneous or heterogeneous P enrichment. The soils were amended with P to equal amounts of total P, but different patterns of P enrichment and/or as different P forms (orthophosphate [oPO4]; inositol hexaphosphate [IHP]). One experiment (Achenpass) was conducted with P-poor calcareous soil material of a Rendzic Leptosol (low-P soil), the other (Mitterfels) with Bw horizon material of a Cambisol that had formed on silicate bedrock and was characterized by moderate P concentrations (moderate-P soil). Half of the spruce seedlings additionally received experimentally elevated N deposition. At the low-P calcareous site, shoot and foliage biomass as well as foliar P, N, and S amounts of Norway spruce seedlings were considerably (+70–80%) and significantly larger on soils with spatially heterogeneous compared to homogeneous P distribution. Elevated N deposition reduced soil P heterogeneity effects on spruce by improving seedling growth on soils with homogeneous P distribution. No soil P form diversity effects were observed for spruce seedlings on calcareous soil. At the silicate site with moderate P supply, all seedlings showed excellent P nutrition. Here, only marginal, insignificant positive effects of heterogeneous soil P distribution were observed for the growth of spruce and beech seedlings without elevated N deposition, but foliar P concentrations of spruce seedlings increased significantly. Elevated N deposition resulted in a positive effect of heterogeneous vs. homogeneous soil P distribution on spruce growth (+39%; eta squared: 0.163; p = 0.135) and P nutrition. Our results showed that soil P concentration heterogeneity is beneficial for spruce growth and P nutrition at sites with P-poor calcareous soils, and at silicate sites with ongoing N eutrophication.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/ffgc.2020.00059/fullsoil P heterogeneitysoil P formsfield experimentelevated N depositionorthophosphateapatite |
| spellingShingle | Jörg Prietzel Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce Seedlings Frontiers in Forests and Global Change soil P heterogeneity soil P forms field experiment elevated N deposition orthophosphate apatite |
| title | Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce Seedlings |
| title_full | Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce Seedlings |
| title_fullStr | Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce Seedlings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce Seedlings |
| title_short | Soil Phosphorus Heterogeneity Improves Growth and P Nutrition of Norway Spruce Seedlings |
| title_sort | soil phosphorus heterogeneity improves growth and p nutrition of norway spruce seedlings |
| topic | soil P heterogeneity soil P forms field experiment elevated N deposition orthophosphate apatite |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/ffgc.2020.00059/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jorgprietzel soilphosphorusheterogeneityimprovesgrowthandpnutritionofnorwayspruceseedlings |