Abstract
Current and one-year-old foliage was collected from sixty-five red spruce trees growing in thirteen stands at different elevations in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondacks of New York. Sample trees were randomly selected from visually healthy trees at each site. Foliage was analyzed for major and minor elements. In July 1984, foliar Ca, Mg, and Zn concentrations were significantly greater at low than at high elevations. In October 1984, Ca, Mg, and Zn concentrations were higher at low elevations and Ca and Mg concentrations varied significantly among locations within elevational groups. Nitrogen concentration was significantly higher in the high-elevation group in July but not in October. The average red spruce foliar Mg concentration at the end of the growing season in the high elevation stands (442 mg kg−1) is much lower than values reported for other mature red spruce stands in the eastern United States.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bruck R I and Robarge W P 1988 Decline of boreal montane ecosystems in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Water Air Soil Pollut. (In press).
Czapowskj M M, Safford L O and Briggs R D 1980 Foliar nutrient status of young red spruce and balsam fir in a fertilized stand. USDA Forest Service Research Paper NE-467. Broomhall, Pa. 15 p.
Foster J R Element concentrations and ratios in the foliage and soil of an old-age red spruce stand in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. Unpublished manuscript.
Friedland A J and Johnson A H 1985 Lead distribution and fluxes in a high-elevation forest in Northern Vermont. J. Environ. Qual. 14, 332–336.
Friedland A J, Gregory R A, Karenlampi L and Johnson A H 1984 Winter damage to foliage as a factor in red spruce decline. Can. J. For. Res. 14, 963–965.
Johnson A H and Siccama T G 1983 Acid deposition and forest decline. Environ. Sci. Technol. 17, 294A-305A.
MacLean K S and Robertson R G 1981 a Variation in the major element content of red spruce foliage with season, crown position, tree and tissue age. Commun. Soil Science Plant Analysis 12 39–49.
MacLean K S and Robertson R G 1981 b Trace element levels in red spruce and the effect of age, crown and seasonal changes. Commun. Soil Science Plant Analysis 12 483–493.
Nihlgard B 1985 The ammonium hypothesis-an additional explanation to the forest dieback in Europe. Ambio 14, 2–8.
Safford L O and Young H E 1968 Nutrient content of the current foliage of red spruce growing on three soils in Maine. Res. in Life Sciences. April, University of Maine pp 29–31.
Schoemaker C E 1973 Variations in foliar nutrient concentrations in red spruce. Tech. Bull. 63 (June). Life Sciences and Ag. Exp. Station, U. of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Scott J T, Siccama T G, Johnson A H and Breisch A R 1985 Decline of red spruce in the Adirondacks, New York. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 111, 438–444.
Siccama T G, Bliss M and Vogelmann H W 1982 Decline of red spruce in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 109, 163–168.
Swan H S D 1971 Relationships between nutrient supply, growth and nutrient concentrations in the foliage of white and red spruce. Woodlands Report WR/34, February, 1971. Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada, 27 p.
Young H E and Carpenter P M 1967 Weight, nutrient element and productivity studies of seedlings and saplings of eight tree species in natural ecosystems. Tech. Bull. 28 (November) Life Sciences and Ag. Exp. Station, U. of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Friedland, A.J., Hawley, G.J. & Gregory, R.A. Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) foliar chemistry in Northern Vermont and New York, USA. Plant Soil 105, 189–193 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02376782
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02376782