Assessment of sugar maple tree growth in relation to the partitioning of elements in xylem along a soil acidity gradient

Bilodeau-Gauthier, Simon; Houle, Daniel; Gagnon, Christian; Côté, Benoît et Messier, Christian (2011). « Assessment of sugar maple tree growth in relation to the partitioning of elements in xylem along a soil acidity gradient ». Forest Ecology and Management, 261, pp. 95-104.

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Résumé

Partitioning of elements in tree xylem is being increasingly studied, as it suggests that elements are potentially mobile within the xylem long after their uptake. A recent study revealed that only the most mobile xylem fraction (water-soluble) of base cations (calcium [Ca], magnesium [Mg], and potassium [K]) increased at higher soil acidity, while the two mobile fractions (water- and acid-soluble) of acidic metals—potentially phytotoxic aluminium (Al), cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn)—were significantly enhanced on very acid soils. The current paper presents an investigation of soil–wood chemistry relationships with basal area tree growth. It was hypothesized that the growth of sugar maple would be reduced by low base cation and high acidic metal concentrations in the xylem mobile fractions. Sugar maple trees (n = 55) from six watersheds in southern Quebec, Canada were analysed by sequential chemical extractions for the water-soluble, acid-soluble and residual fractions of base cations (Ca, K, Mg) and acidic metals (Al, Cd, Mn) in xylem. Generally, tree growth was positively correlated to concentrations of base cations in wood (_ = 0.27–0.50) and soil (_ = 0.41–0.67), and negatively correlated to concentrations of acidic metals in wood (_ =−0.33 to −0.52) and soil (_ =−0.67). However, these relations differed depending on the element fraction considered. Water- and acid-soluble xylem concentrations of base cations and Al were among the best predictors of growth trends (R2 = 0.46–0.51). The relationship between acidic metals and tree growth is further discussed.

Type:	Article de revue scientifique
Mots-clés ou Sujets:	Aluminium, Base cations, Metal toxicity, Soil acidity, Sugar maple, Tree growth
Unité d'appartenance:	Centres institutionnels > Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF) Faculté des sciences > Département des sciences biologiques
Déposé par:	Christian Messier
Date de dépôt:	29 nov. 2011 14:14
Dernière modification:	01 nov. 2014 02:20
Adresse URL :	http://archipel.uqam.ca/id/eprint/4265

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