Partitioning of the source of leaf calcium of American beech and sugar maple using leaf Ca/Sr ratios: a predominantly surficial but variable depth of Ca uptake

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 373; no. 1-2; pp. 229 - 242
• Main Authors: Chen, Ching-Chih, Beauregard, Frieda, Côté, Benoît, Bélanger, Nicolas, Courchesne, François, Hendershot, William H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.12.2013; Springer; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: A horizons; Acer saccharum subsp. saccharum; Acid soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; aluminum; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; B horizons; Beech; Bioavailability; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Calcium; Calcium, Dietary; E horizons; Ecology; Fagus grandifolia; forest decline; Forest soils; Forestry research; forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Health aspects; Leaves; Life Sciences; Maple sugar; Mineral soils; Minerals; nutrient uptake; Nutritional aspects; organic horizons; Organic soils; Plant biology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Regular Article; Sand soils; Seedlings; Soil depth; Soil horizons; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; strontium; Sugar; Trees; Mass balance; Strontium; Sugar maple; Aluminum; Beech; Calcium uptake; Variable; Calcium; Fagus grandifolia; Alkaline earth metal; Depth; Source; Aceraceae; Absorption; Partitioning; Acer saccharum; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Hardwood forest tree; Ratio; Partition; Aluminium; Plant leaf; Fagaceae; Vegetative apparatus; Spermatophyta; Soil plant relation; Material balance
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-013-1787-9

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Reduced availability of calcium (Ca) has been linked to maple forest decline. We therefore aimed at assessing the contribution of the different soil horizons to leaf Ca of competing beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) to better understand the dynamics of Ca uptake. METHODS: Leaf Ca was partitioned using the Ca/Sr ratio approach in two mature forests of southern Quebec. A mass balance was also used at one site to validate the results obtained with the Ca/Sr approach. RESULTS: The L and F horizons contributed most of the leaf Ca of beech and maple with likely small contributions from the upper B and/or H/Ahe horizons. Leaf Ca/Sr ratios of beech were however more variable than those of maple. Using a mass balance, the organic horizons and upper mineral soil horizons were found to provide ca. 80 and 20 % of tree Ca uptake, respectively. CONCLUSION: Beech and maple Ca uptake depth apportionment is on average similar but beech is likely more plastic in sourcing soil Ca. The low contribution of the mineral soil to leaf Ca at our sites can be linked to less favorable conditions for Ca uptake likely associated with low Ca/Al ratios.