Influence of ammonium on fine root development and rhizosphere pH of Douglas-fir seedlings in sand

Ammonium sulphate is a major component of the air pollutants deposited on forests in the Netherlands. Different amounts of $NH_4^ + $ were added to Douglas-fir seedlings grown in tall containers of sand, to study the influence of high concentrations of $NH_4^ + $ in the soil on the development of fi...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Plant and soil Vol. 133; no. 1; pp. 75 - 81
Main Authors:	Olsthoorn, A.F.M. (Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen (Netherlands). Vakgroep Bosbouw), Keltjens, W.G, Baren, B. van, Hopman, M.C.G
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers 1991 Springer
Subjects:	Acid soils Agricultural soils Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions AMMONIA AMMONIAC AMONIACO AZOTE Biological and medical sciences Bosbouw CONTAINER PLANTING ENRACINEMENT ENRAIZAMIENTO FITOTOXICIDAD Forest soils Forestry Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology NITROGEN NITROGENO Non agrochemicals pollutants Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection PHYTOTOXICITE PHYTOTOXICITY Plant roots PLANTACION EN CONTENEDOR PLANTATION EN CONTAINER PLANTULAS PLANTULE Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals PSEUDOTSUGA MENZIESII Quaternary ammonium compounds RACINE RAICES RHIZOSPHERE RIZOSFERA Root growth ROOTING ROOTS SANDY SOILS Sectie Bodemkwaliteit SEEDLINGS Soil chemistry SOL SABLEUX Sub-department of Soil Quality SUELO ARENOSO Root Forest soil Sandy soil Soil pollution Pseudotsuga menziesii Phytotoxicity Gymnospermae Softwood forest tree Air pollution Coniferales Spermatophyta Ammonium Sulfates Deposition
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Ammonium sulphate is a major component of the air pollutants deposited on forests in the Netherlands. Different amounts of $NH_4^ + $ were added to Douglas-fir seedlings grown in tall containers of sand, to study the influence of high concentrations of $NH_4^ + $ in the soil on the development of fine roots and the effects of nitrogen uptake on rhizosphere pH. At the end of this eight-month experiment part of the ammonium appeared to have nitrified into nitrate. High doses of ammonium negatively affected root length and root length per unit of dry matter (specific root length). Although Douglas fir shows a preferential ammonium uptake in nutrient solutions the increases in the pH of the rhizosphere in this experiment indicate that nitrogen was mostly taken up as nitrate. When the ammonium concentration in the soil is low, it cannot be taken up readily because of its low mobility in soil. Shoot growth was stimulated by high availability of nitrogen. The possible effects of high doses of ammonium on long-term forest vitality are discussed.
Bibliography:	P33 9104572 ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23
ISSN:	0032-079X 1573-5036
DOI:	10.1007/bf00011901