%0 Research Notes
%T Effect of refertilisation and growing on the nutrition, growth and root development of young Scots pine stands in a peat cutaway area with deep peat layers
%A Aro, Lasse
%A Kaunisto, Seppo
%D 2003
%J Suo - Mires and peat
%V 54
%N 2
%U http://suo.fi/article/9826
%X The effects of refertilisation and growing density on the soil and tree nutrition, root
penetration and growth of Scots pine stands were studied in a cutaway peatland area
with deep peat layers. The fertilisation treatments were control, N1975+PKB1985 and
PK1975+PKB1996 refertilisations and those of the growing density <1 300, 1 654 and
1 954 trees ha-1. The maximum root penetration varied between 26 and 34 cm independently
of the treatments. The N/P ratios in pine needles were quite high even on the
refertilised plots (11.6-15.7). The duration of P fertilisation seems to be shorter (about
15 years) on cutaway peatlands with deep peat layers than on drained peatland forests.
The greatest yield without natural removal (239 m3 ha-1, on an average) in 35-years-old
stands was measured on plots, which had the highest growing density and had been
repeatedly fertilised with PK. The results show that quite a high yield of Scots pine can
be reached on cutaway peatlands. However, pine has to be fertilised with PK at the
afforestation stage and at least once later if the remaining peat layer is 40-60 cm, and
possibly several broadcast fertilisations are needed on peat layers deeper than 60 cm. It
seems that growing tree stands on cutaway peatlands in higher densities than in conventional
forestry may improve nutrient cycling in stands and hence decrease leaching
of nutrients from the site.