Changing of Lead and Cadmium Pools of Swedish Forest Soils

The aims of the paper are to; i)evaluate the rate and direction of present changes in lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) soil pools of Swedish forests; ii) discuss processes of importance for leaching of Pb and Cd in Swedish forest soils. The presently ongoing changes of Pb and Cd pools of Swedish forest soils are evaluated by compilation of data from the literature and unpublished sources. It is concluded that Cd pools are presently decreasing in larger areas of Sweden. The rate of decrease is mainly determined by soil acidity status; Cd leaching is regulated by ion exchange with Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+ and H+, and is higher in acid soils. The Pb pools are presently increasing with 0.1 to 0.3 percent annually in the soil down to 0.5 meter. Pb is redistributed from the O horizon to the B horizon,most pronounced in spruce forests; the Pb pools of the O horizon are presently not increasing, but is slightly decreasing by 0.1 to 0.2 percent annually. The leaching of Pb in the soil is controlled by factors regulating the solubility of organic matter

Phosphorus fertilisation causes durable enhancement of phosphorus concentrations in forest soil

The duration of P fertiliser in acid forest soil was investigated in a Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) forest in southcentral Sweden. The fertilisation of the soil started in 1967, but no P has been applied since 1988. The N fertilisation is still continuing. Totally, 300 kg P per hectare, as superphosphate, and/or 1090 kg N per hectare, as ammonium nitrate, was applied. Concentrations of both 0.05M Na2SO4 + 0.02M NaF extractable P and 0.5M H2SO4 extractable P in the Of, Oh, E and top B horizons of fertilised soils were elevated compared to the control. The P fractions considered to be extracted are adsorbed and some Al-bound phosphate, in the case of Na2SO4 + NaF, and Ca phosphates, in the case of H2SO4. 3-4% of the added P was recovered as Na2SO4 + NaF extractable P, and 10-22% was recovered as H2SO4 extractable P in the soil profile down through the first 5 cm of the B horizon. Still continuing ammonium nitrate fertilisation has decreased the H2SO4 extractable P concentration in this soil. Cumulative P fertiliser application of 300 kg P per hectare has counteracted this decrease. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Bioavailability of DOC in leachates, soil matrix solutions and soil water extracts from beech forest floors

The biodegradability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in different fractions from the forest floor was studied. Soil leachate (SI, the soil solution in macropores which is freely drained from forest floor after rainfall), the soil matrix solution (SMS, the soil solution in meso-/micropores of the soil matrix), and soil water extracts (SWE) from two different beech forest floors were compared. Zero-tension and tension lysimeters were used to collect SL and SMS, respectively. Loss of DOC (during 21 days) and respiration of CO2-C (during 7 days) were used as conventional measures of the availability of DOC. Bacterial production, measured using the leucine incorporation technique, and bacterial growth efficiency were also estimated. All methods were used to study differences in biodegradability between plots with and without ground flora (Deschampsia flexuosa or Anemone nemorosa) and different type of forest floor (with an organic (O) horizon or a mull (A) horizon). There were no differences in bioavailability of DOC from soil solutions extracted from plots with and without ground flora. The bioavailability of DOC in the different collected soil solutions varied, however. DOC in SWE was the most available, with a mean of 39% of DOC-loss in 21 days, and 18% of DOC being respired in 7 days. DOC in soil matrix solution was the least available of the soil solutions (7% respired), significantly less than DOC in soil leachate (11% respired). The methods measuring biodegradation of DOC, DOC-loss and CO2-C respiration gave similar results and were comparable to bacterial production and bacterial growth efficiency, with the exception of SWE from the O-horizon at the a flexuosa site, which had low bacterial production and bacterial growth efficiency, indicating a limitation of the bacterial growth. This study is one of the first to use bacterial production and bacterial growth efficiency for measuring bioavailability in terrestrial environments, giving an extra dimension for the process of biodegradation of DOC. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Effect of Rhizome Fragmentation, Clover Competition, Shoot-Cutting Frequency, and Cutting Height on Quackgrass (Elymus repens)

Quackgrass is a problematic agricultural weed in the temperate zones of the world and is difficult to control without herbicides or intensive tillage. However, it may be possible to control quackgrass with less environmental impact by combining multiple low-intensity control methods. A pot experiment was conducted in July to October 2012 and repeated in June to September 2013 to investigate the effect of rhizome fragmentation, competition from white clover, shoot-cutting frequency, and cutting height on quackgrass. Rhizome fragmentation was expected to result in more, but weaker, quackgrass shoots that would be more vulnerable to shoot cutting and competition. However, by 20 d past planting, rhizome fragmentation did not change the total number of quackgrass shoots per pot, because an increase in main shoots was offset by a decrease in tiller numbers. Rhizome fragmentation did not reduce quackgrass biomass acquisition during the experimental period. Although rhizome fragmentation did reduce total fructan content, it did not enhance the effect of clover competition, shoot-cutting frequency, or shoot-cutting height. Clover competition by itself reduced quackgrass shoot numbers by 72%, rhizome biomass by 81%, and belowground fructan concentration by 10 percentage points, compared with no competition. The more frequently quackgrass shoots were cut, the less biomass quackgrass acquired, and a high shoot-cutting frequency (each time quackgrass reached 2 leaves) resulted in a lower belowground fructan concentration than a low shoot-cutting frequency (at 8 leaves). However, in pots without competition, a higher shoot-cutting frequency resulted in more quackgrass shoots. A lower shoot-cutting height (25 mm) had more impact when shoot cutting was more frequent. In conclusion, rhizome fragmentation did not reduce the number of quackgrass shoots or rhizome biomass, but competition from white clover, a high shoot-cutting frequency, and a low shoot-cutting height strongly suppressed quackgrass biomass and fructan acquisition.publishedVersio