Effects of Ledum groenlandicum amendments on soil characteristics and black spruce seedling growth

• Published in: Plant ecology Vol. 133; no. 1; pp. 29 - 36
• Main Authors: Inderjit, Mallik, A.U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Kluwer Publishers 01.11.1997; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acid soils; allelochemicals; Allelopathy; application rate; Boreal forests; chemical composition; Forest soils; Leaves; Ledum; Litter; Mineral soils; Nutrient availability; Organic matter; Organic soils; Peat; Peat soils; phenolic compounds; Phenols; Picea mariana; Plant ecology; Plant litter; seedling growth; Seedlings; soil amendments; Soil biochemistry; soil chemistry; Soil organic matter; Soil treatment; Soils; Understory; Ontario
• ISSN: 1385-0237; 1573-5052
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1009781011591

The effects of leaves and litter of the boreal forest understory shrub, Ledum groenlandicum, on soil characteristics and black spruce (Picea mariana) seedling growth were investigated. Organic and mineral soils, not previously associated with L. groenlandicum, were amended with leaves and litter of this species. The objectives of the present study were: (i) to determine the changes in soil characteristics after amending with L. groenlandicum, (ii) to determine the quantitative variation in the concentration of water-soluble phenolic allelochemicals in mineral and organic soil layers modified by L. groenlandicum and (iii) to study the growth response of black spruce in soils treated with different L. groenlandicum amendments. The amended organic and mineral soils were analyzed for pH, organic matter, PO₄, N, Ba, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Al and total phenolics equivalence. Results indicate that organic soils amended with L. groenlandicum leaves and litter were significantly different from unamended control soil for most of the chemical characteristics, while amended mineral soil was different from that of unmodified mineral soil for PO₄, organic matter, K and total phenolics equivalence. Water-soluble phenolics from L. groenlandicum and changes in nutrient availability are plausible causes of L. groenlandicum interference with black spruce seedling growth.