Suo - Mires and peat

Jyrki Hytönen, Lasse Aro, Jorma Issakainen, Mikko Moilanen. Turvetuhka ja biotiitti männyn metsityslannoituksessa suonpohjalla.

English title: Peat ash and biotite in fertilization of Scots pine on an afforested cutaway peatland.

Avainsanat: potassium; Scots pine; biotite; nutrition; potassium chloride; Cutaway peatland

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In Finland peat is used in power generation, often burned with wood mixture resulting in mixed ash types. Peat ash is usually rich in phosphorus (P) but poor in potassium (K) and thus not as good fertilizer for peatland forests as wood ash. In this study we compared the effects of peat ash and peat ash with added potassium (potassium chloride or biotite) on the growth and nutrition of Scots pine seedlings on a cutaway peatland. In addition, peat ash was pelletized with biotite in one treatment. The treatments were applied around single trees with 10 replications. The study site was rich in N, but poor in P and K. Peat and foliar samples were analysed, and the height growth of seedlings was monitored for 17 years following the treatments. Pure peat ash had a positive effect on the growth of Scots pine but the survival rate of seedlings was not satisfactory. Peat ash enriched with potassium increased substantially growth of seedlings and increased the foliar K concentration compared to unfertilized control and peat ash alone. Pelletized peat ash and biotite gave similar results as the use of un-pelletized peat ash and biotite. Peat ash alone is not recommended for fertilization of Scots pine stands on drained peatlands. Adding K to peat ash enables recycling of large amounts of nutrients back to peatland forests, and is a good alternative to low-soluble P and K fertilizer. The granulation of the product would ensure good spreadability.

Hytönen, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Silmäjärventie 2, 69100 Kannus, Finland Sähköposti: jyrki.hytonen@luke.fi
Aro, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 3, 20520 Turku, Finland Sähköposti: lasse.aro@luke.fi
Issakainen, Ratapellontie 11, 91500 Muhos, Finland Sähköposti: ji@nn.fi
Moilanen, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Paavo Havaksen tie 3, 90014, University of Oulu, Finland Sähköposti: mikko.moilanen@luke.fi

Markku Saarinen, Timo Silver. Pääravinnesuhteet ja kaliumin riittävyys karujen rämeiden ojitusalueilla.

English title: Macronutrient ratios and sufficiency of soil potassium in drained nutrient-poor Scots pine peatlands.

Original keywords: turvemaa; ravinnepuutos; kuivatus; pääravinne; kaliumin riittävyys

English keywords: Drainage; peatland; macronutrient; nutrient deficiency; potassium sufficiency

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Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää turpeen ja nykypuuston kaliumvarojen määrä sekä arvioida kaliumvarojen riittävyys puuston kasvulle päätehakkuuvaiheessa ja toisen puusukupolven aikana vanhoilla varputurvekankaan (Vatkg) ojitusalueilla Lounais-Suomessa. Tarkoituksena oli arvioida, voiko osalla karuista varputurvekankaista kalium loppua jo ennen päätehakkuuvaihetta tai viimeistään toisen puusukupolven aikana. Puustoon oli mittaushetkellä sitoutunut kaliumia keskimäärin 62 % (23–106 %) turpeen kaliumvarastoon verrattuna. Jos kiertoajan kokonaistuotokseksi arvioidaan 200 m3 ha–1, eikä turpeen tiivistymisen tai laskeuman mahdollista vaikutusta kaliummäärien muutoksiin huomioida, oli pintaturpeessa keskimäärin 67 % (34–96 %) siitä kaliummäärästä, jonka puusto tarvitsee tuon kokonaistuotoksen maanpäällisen biomassan saavuttamiseksi. Kaliumin riittävyys nykypuuston koko kiertoajalle sekä seuraavan puusukupolven tarpeisiin riippuu paljolti siitä, pystyvätkö ilmasta tuleva kalium ja turpeen tiivistyessä konsentroituva kalium kompensoimaan hakkuun ja huuhtoutumisen aiheuttamat menetykset. Tarkastelu osoittaa, että myös karuilla rämeillä käytettävissä olevan kaliumin määrä saattaa rajoittaa puuston kehitystä. Vähiten kaliumia sisältävien turpeiden kasvupaikoilla ongelmia voi ilmetä jo ensiharvennuksen jälkeen, eikä kalium ehkä riitä edes tavoiteltuun 200 m3 ha–1 kokonaistuotokseen. Kaliumin riittävyyden ongelma lienee pahin niillä varputurvekankailla, jotka ovat lähtöisin runsaasti nevapintaa sisältäneistä lyhytkorsirämeistä (LkR).

Saarinen, Markku Saarinen, Metsäntutkimuslaitos, Länsi-Suomen alueyksikkö, Kaironiementie 15, FI-39700 Parkano, email: markku.saarinen@metla.fi Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Silver, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Mikko Moilanen, Pekka Pietiläinen, Jorma Issakainen. Pinus sylvestris L. on drained peatlands.

English title: Long-term effects of apatite and biotite on the nutrient and stand growth of Scots pine.

Avainsanat: phosphorus; potassium; nutrient status; Fertilisation; nutrient deficiency; drained peatland; potassium chloride; rock phosphate

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Phosphorus and potassium deficiencies are common in Scots pine stands growing on drained peatlands. In this study, the foliar nutrient concentrations and stand growth were monitored after the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilisers of different solubility in four experiments on thick-peated drained peatlands in northern central Finland. The studied stands involved three fertilisation treatments: (i) unfertilised control, (ii) rock phosphate and potassium chloride, and (iii) apatite and biotite. The growth of stands was monitored 20–25 years after the fertilisation. Needles were sampled four times: 4–9, 11–14, 16–19 and 21–24 years after the fertilisation. According to foliar analyses, the trees on the control plots suffered from severe phosphorus and potassium deficiencies. Rock phosphate and apatite fertilisation increased the foliar phosphorus concentrations above the deficiency limit, and the effect was still noticeable 21–24 years after the application. Both potassium sources, that is, the slowly soluble biotite and the water-soluble potassium chloride increased the foliar potassium concentration to an adequate level. Potassium chloride increased the concentrations faster and stronger than biotite during the first years (4–9) after the applications. The situation was reversed when 11–14 years or more had passed from the fertilisation: the biotite fertilised stands had higher potassium concentrations. The fertilisation treatments decreased the foliar nitrogen, zinc, manganese, copper and boron concentrations. The fertiliser applications increased the stand volume growth considerably. Raw phosphate and potassium chloride increased the volume growth significantly already during the first five-year period. The effect of the apatite and biotite treatment was weaker during the first 10 years, but became stronger with time. During the period 19–24 years after the fertilisation, the stand growth on the biotite plots was equal to that of the plots fertilised with potassium chloride. However, during the whole study period the differences between the treatments remained insignificant. The results showed that slowly soluble apatite and biotite are suitable sources of phosphorus and potassium for pines on drained peatlands. However, to avoid boron deficiency, also boron should be added simultaneously.

Moilanen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Muhos Research Station, Kirkkosaarentie 7, FIN-91500 Muhos, Finland Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Pietiläinen, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Issakainen, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Pekka Pietiläinen, Mikko Moilanen, Heikki Vesala. Pinus sylvestris L. on drained peatland after potassium fertilisation.

English title: Nutrient status and growth of Scots pine.

Avainsanat: drained peatlands; needle analysis; Pinus sylvestris; Fertilisation; nutrient deficiency; growth increment; nutrient concentration; potassium chloride

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The effects of potassium (K) fertilisation on the nutrient status and growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands on drained peatlands were studied on three field experiments in northern central Finland. The Scots pine stands were at a sapling or pole stage with a dominant height of 3–8 m when the experiments were set up. The stands differed from each other in their nutritional status, for example, the foliar K concentration varied considerably between the experiments. The experiments were fertilised with potassium chloride, rock phosphate (P 42kg ha-1) and urea (N 46kg ha-1) between 1979 and 1980. The potassium doses in terms of elemental K, were 50, 100, 200 and 400kg ha-1. The foliar samples were taken three times during the study period: 7–9 years, 14–15 years and 19–20 years after fertilisation. The stand measurements were done 19–22 years after the fertilisation. The rate and magnitude of stand response due to fertilisation depended essentially on the nutritional status of the trees. The strongest effect of PK-fertilisation was obtained on a nitrogen-rich peatland, where the stands suffered from severe phosphorus and potassium deficiencies (foliar P concentration < 1.2 mg g-1, K concentration < 3.5 mg g-1). During the study period, the annual stand volume growth on fertilised plots ranged from 3.9 to 5.4 m3 ha-1 a-1, and that of the unfertilised plots was 0.78 m3 ha-1 a-1. In other sites, where the lack of phosphorus and potassium was not so drastic, nor did the trees suffer from shortage of nitrogen, the effect of PK-treatment on tree growth was weak or almost non-existent. The foliar K concentrations rose with the amount of potassium chloride applied. The fertilisation effect of the dose of 100kg K ha-1 lasted 15–20 years, after which the foliar K concentration dropped close to the deficiency limit. The effect of the larger doses (200–400kg K ha-1) on the needle K concentration was more pronounced and still visible at the end of the study period. However, the stand growth responses gained with larger potassium applications were not essentially greater than those with the 100 kg ha-1 dose.

Pietiläinen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Muhos Research Station, Kirkkosaarentie 7, FIN-91500 Muhos, Finland Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Moilanen, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Vesala, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Vojtěch Lanta, Jiří Doležal, Jan Samata. Vegetation patterns in a cut-away peatland in relation to abiotic and biotic factors: a case study from the Sumava Mts., Czech Rebuplic.

Avainsanat: fertilization; potassium; volume growth; refertilization; pine mire; phosphorus yield

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We studied the natural regeneration of a cut-over peat bog in the Sumava Mountains, Czech Republic. The spontaneous revegetation by vascular plants has been limited by extreme abiotic conditions left after peat mining. Only 1-2% of the total area was recolonized by Sphagnum mosses. This was mainly because drainage channels are still drying out the bog. Only plants tolerant to water stress such as Juncus effusus, Molinia caerulea, Eriophorum angustifolium and E. vaginatum were able to establish there. A key species colonizing bare surface is a clonal plant E. angustifolium. It forms circular polycormons of densely aggregated ramets. As in other radially spreading phalanx plants, the oldest (central) part of the system gradually dies, previously connected ramets become separated, and ring polycormon becomes open to recolonization by other plant species. We analyzed the relationships between species richness of the ring and their size, percentage litter cover, distance to seed sources, and soil fertility. The number of plant species was higher in the middle of the polycormons. The soil was more fertile in the central area than in the surroundings. We conclude that the restoration of highly disturbed habitats can be facilitated by clonal behavior of pioneer populations.

Lanta, Faculty of Bilogical Sciences, University of South bohemia, Branisovska 31, CZ-370 05 Ceske Budejovice, CzechRebuplic Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Doležal, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Samata, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Heli Rautjärvi, Seppo Kaunisto, Timo Tolonen. Jatkolannoitusten vaikutus männyn (Pinus sylvestris L.) tilavuuskasvuun ja neulasten ravinnepitoisuuksiin ojitetulla rämeellä.

English title: The effect of repeated fertilizations on volume growth and needle nutrient concentrations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) on a drained pine mire.

Avainsanat: fertilization; potassium; volume growth; refertilization; pine mire; phosphorus yield

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The nutritional status of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands growing on a nitrogen-rich, drained pine mire in western Finland was studied after refertilization using needle analysis and the response of stand volume growth. The main aim was to find out if K-refertilization alone could maintain or increase the volume growth without causing a nutrient imbalance between K and P. The initial fertilization was carried out in 1961 - 62 using PK fertilizer and refertilized in 1976 and 1989 with different combinations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and boron (B). Needle samples were taken and the tree stands were measured in 1996 and 2001. Peat samples were taken in 2002. According to the needle analysis results, the concentration of P was above the deficiency level in all the treatments in 1995 and 2000. There was a clear shortage of K in the needles collected from the control treatment, but the concentration of K was still adequate 12 years after the latest K refertilization. The volume growth of the stands clearly responded to the 1976 refertilization with K alone, which was probably due to the fact that trees had been suffering from K deficiency before the first refertilization and 14-15 years thereafter. After the second refertilization, the combination of K and P increased the annual volume growth more than refertilization with K alone. This indicates that about 25 years after the initial fertilization, there was already some shortage of P. The highest stand volume was associated with the combined K (1976) and PK (1989) refertilization treatment. Refertilization with N did not increase stand volumes during the study period.

Rautjärvi, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Centre, Box 68, FIN-80101 Joensuu Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Kaunisto, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Tolonen, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Seppo Kaunisto, Tytti Sarjala. Kuusen neulasanalyyttinen kaliumravitsemuksen arviointi eri vuodenaikoina.

English title: Estimating potassium nutrition of Norway spruce with needle analysis during different seasons.

Avainsanat: potassium; peatland; mire; Deficiency; deficiency limit; putrescine

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The aims of this study were 1) to get a better background for estimating limit values of potassium nutrition for Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) and 2) to find out if the needle potassium nutrition during dormancy could be estimated by analysing needles collected before the dormant period. Five groups of trees with different nutritional backgrounds were selected. One was on a shallow-peat (5–30 cm) mineral soil slope and four on a deep-peat site next to it. Needles were collected four times during the autumn months and twice during dormancy. The needle K concentration of a severe potassium deficiency limit indicated by the exponential accumulation of putrescine, was about 4.5 mg g–1. However, trees suffered from potassium shortage already at the potassium concentrations of about 5 mg g–1. The needle potassium concentrations during the autumn months from late August to early October were in very close correlation with the concentration during dormancy, y = 0.869x – 0.208 (r2 = 0.92), where y is the potassium concentration in the winter months and x that during the autumn months.

Kaunisto, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Parkano Research Station, Kaironiementie 54, 39700 Parkano, Finland Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Sarjala, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Klaus Silfverberg. Ravinteiden huuhtoutuminen tuhka- ja PK-lannoitetusta turpeesta.

English title: The leaching of nutrients from ash- and PK-fertilised peat.

Avainsanat: phosphorus; potassium; peat core; percolation water; nutrient loss

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The nutrient concentrations of the water percolating through fertilised peat cores were investigated in a greenhouse experiment. The nutrient concentrations in the peat cores were also determined before and after the experiment. The fertiliser treatments were 500 kg ha-1 of PK peatland fertiliser, 5 000 and 25 000 kg ha-1 of birch ash, and an unfertilised control. The cores were watered on three occasions after application of the fertilisers. The percolation water collected from the fertilised cores contained significantly more nutrients than the control. The total amounts of leached nutrients were equivalent to 0.01 - 20.1 % of the nutrients in the peat cores, K clearly being leached the most. The susceptibility of the nutrients to leaching followed the order K > Mg > Ca > Mn > P. The fertiliser treatments also increased the leaching of nitrate and ammonium. The amount of leached nutrients was relatively the highest from the PK treatment, but in absolute terms the highest from the largest dose of wood ash. According to the peat analyses, the concentrations of most of the nutrients had increased only in the surface layer of the peat (0 - 5 cm). In contrast, the K concentrations had increased throughout the whole profile (0 - 20 cm). The application of large amounts of ash fertiliser should be avoided in order to minimise nutrient leaching losses. Although the fertilisers used in this experiment have been or are being replaced by new types of fertiliser, the results of this study can be used to facilitate the interpretation of the results of field experiments in which these fertilisers have been used..

Silfverberg, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, FIN-01301 Vantaa, Finland Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Timo Penttilä, Mikko Moilanen. Lannoituksen vaikutus hieskoivikoiden kasvuun ja ravinnetilaan ojitetuilla turvemailla Pohjois-Suomessa.

English title: Effect of fertilization on growth and foliar nutrient status of pubescent birch stands on drained mires in northern Finland.

Avainsanat: nitrogen; phosphorus; potassium; peatland; Foliar nutrients; Betula pubescens; growth responses

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The effects of fertilization and refertilization on the growth of pubescent birch (Betula pubescens) stands growing on drained peatlands in northern Finland were studied in eight field experiments. The treatments were: (i) control with no fertilization, (ii) fertilization with nitrogen (N), (iii) fertilization with phosphorus and potassium (PK), and (iv) fertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). The sites represented four different mesotrophic to eutrophic site types with stand median heights ranging from 7 m to 13 m. Tree growth was monitored at stand level during periods of five to eleven years following the setting up of the experiments and during periods of 4 to 7 years following the repetition of the treatments in 1985. At the end of the second period, sun-exposed leaves were sampled from two stands in August 1990 for the purpose of conducting foliar nutrient analyses. The first-time fertilization treatments did not affect tree growth on any of the site types. Following the repetition of the treatments, the stands responded positively to NPK or PK fertilization on all site types except on the shallow-peated herb-rich peatland forest. There was no response to mere N-fertilization on any of the site types. The growth responses observed were weaker than those reported for Scots pine in similar climatic conditions. Key words: Betula pubescens, foliar nutrients, growth responses, nitrogen, peatland, phosphorus, potassium

Penttilä, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Station, P.O.Box 16, FIN-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Moilanen, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Mikko Moilanen, Timo Penttilä, Jorma Issakainen. Lannoituksen vaikutus kuusikoiden kasvuun ja ravinnetilaan ojitetuilla turvemailla Pohjois-Suomessa.

English title: Effects of fertilization on tree growt and nutrient status of Norway spruce stands on drained peatlands in northern Finland.

Avainsanat: nitrogen; phosphorus; potassium; Foliar nutrients; growth responses; mires; Picea abies

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Abstract: The stand-level responses to fertilization and refertilization were studied in seven factorial field experiments established in 1974-1976. The factors were nitrogen fertilization (N) and phosphorus-potassium fertilization (PK). The factorial treatments were applied at two levels: (i) control and (ii) fertilized with a dosage following the currently used Finnish forest fertilization guide-lines. The spruce-dominated stands were selected from areas drained according to normal forestry practises between 1932 and 1969. The sites covered fairly well the trophic variation that occurs on spruce-dominated peatlands in the mid-boreal zone in Finland. Tree growth was monitored during two periods of five to seven years. The second period followed the refertilization in 1985. At the end of the second period, one-year-old sun-exposed needles were sampled from the four southernmost stands for nutrient analyses. The effects of fertilization on tree growth were generally fairly weak and insignificant, especially during the first study period. After refertilization, the effect of N was positive in three stands on mesotrophic sites. The foliar nutrient analyses of unfertilized spruces showed low concentrations of N, P and Cu. PK-fertilization increased foliar P concentrations and, in some cases, also K concentrations. Since the PK-fertilizer included some borate, it also increased foliar B concentrations. N-fertilization did not affect foliar N, P or K concentrations but it decreased foliar concentrations of Ca, Zn, and B in some cases. Both the growth responses and the foliar nutrient analyses indicated that nitrogen was the most deficient macro-nutrient. Key words: foliar nutrients, growth responses, mires, nitrogen, phosphorus, Picea abies, potassium

Moilanen, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Muhos Research Station, Kirkkosaarentie, FIN-91500 Muhos, Finland Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Penttilä, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
Issakainen, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

Seppo Kaunisto. Metsäojitettujen turvemaiden ravinnevaroista ja niiden riittävyydestä.

English title: On nutrient amounts and their sufficiency for wood production on drained peatlands.

Avainsanat: fertilization; peat nutrient stores; potassium; transformed mires

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Generally in peat soils but especially in the old forest drainage areas the amount of potassium is low compared with that of nitrogen (ab. 1:100) and phosphorus (ab. 1:4). However, the amount of potassium fixed in tree biomass is about four times the amount of phosphorus. When estimating the future sufficiency of potassium for wood production in old drainage areas after one rotation (drainage 75 years earlier), it seems that on nitrogen-rich deep-peat pine mires potassium stores become exhausted during the second rotation after drainage if potassium is not applied. Key words: Fertilization, peat nutrient stores, potassium, transformed mires

Kaunisto, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Parkano Research Station, SF-39700 Parkano, Finland Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

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