Solution chemistry in a red pine plantation thirty-nine years after potassium fertilization

• Published in: Soil Science Society of America journal Vol. 55; no. 5; pp. 1446 - 1452
• Main Authors: Shepard, J.P. (National Council of the Paper Industry for Air and Stream Improvement, Gainesville, FL), Mitchell, M.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI Soil Science Society of America 01-09-1991
• Subjects: ABONOS POTASICOS; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; AMMONIAC; AMONIACO; ANALISIS DEL SUELO; ANALYSE DE SOL; Biological and medical sciences; CALCIO; CALCIUM; CATION; CATIONES; CICLO BIOGEOQUIMICO; CYCLE BIOGEOCHIMIQUE; ENGRAIS POTASSIQUE; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; HIDROGENO; HYDROGENE; LESSIVAGE DU SOL; LIXIVIACION; LLUVIA ACIDA; MAGNESIO; MAGNESIUM; MOUVEMENT; MOVIMIENTO; NEW YORK; NITRATE; NITRATOS; Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium fertilizations; NUEVA YORK; NUTRIENTES; PERDIDAS; PERTE; PINUS RESINOSA; PLUIE ACIDE; POLLUTION; POLUCION; POTASIO; POTASSIUM; Potassium fertilization; PRECIPITACION ATMOSFERICA; PRECIPITATION; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; SOL DE FORET; SOL SABLEUX; SOLUCIONES DEL SUELO; SOLUTION DU SOL; SUBSTANCE NUTRITIVE; SUELO ARENOSO; SUELO FORESTAL; SULFATE; SULFATOS; Pinus resinosa; Reduction; Potassium fertilization; Gymnospermae; Softwood forest tree; Acid rain; Coniferales; Forest soil; Spermatophyta; Cations; Leaching; Deposition
• ISSN: 0361-5995; 1435-0661
• DOI: 10.2136/sssaj1991.03615995005500050041x

Accelerated leaching of nutrient cations has been hypothesized as a potential effect of acidic deposition. Nutrient-cation deficiencies resulting from accelerated cation leaching have been proposed as a contributing factor in forest decline in Europe. The objective of this study was to intensively characterize the solution chemistry of a forest ecosystem in order to assess the status of its nutrient-cation losses. Precipitation throughfall, stemflow, and soil solution chemistry were monitored for 3 yr in a red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) plantation established in 1930 at the Pack Forest in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Plots fertilized with 0, 59, and 118 kg K ha-1 in 1948 (designated C, L, and H, respectively) were studied to compare K leaching in systems of different K status and to assess the longevity of K-fertilization effects on solation chemistry. The concentration of K in throughfall and stemflow was higher in the two fertilized plots relative to the control although 39 yr had elapsed since K fertilization. Fertilized plots generally had higher K concentrations in soil solution in the 0- to 8- and 8- to 15-cm depths, whereas no differences were found among plots in the 15- to 45-cm depth. Input-output budgets indicated that much less H, NO3, and SO4 were leached below the rooting zone (0-45 cm) than were received from atmospheric (including dry) deposition. Net losses were observed for K, Ca, and Mg of 64, 294 and 17 molc ha-1 yr-1 (15, 3, and 1% relative to the exchangeable pools), respectively. These losses were not large compared with other forests in the USA