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| Web URL(s): | http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/10.2307/2258733.pdf
Last checked: 01/14/2016
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| Publication Type:
| Refereed |
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| Author(s): | Gupta, P. L.;
Rorison, I. H. |
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| Author Affiliation: | Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology (N.E.R.C.), Department of Botany, The University, Sheffield |
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| Title: | Seasonal differences in the availability of nutrients down a podzolic profile |
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| Source: | Journal of Ecology. Vol. 63, No. 2, July 1975, p. 521-534. |
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| Publishing Information: | Cambridge: University Press |
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| # of Pages: | 14 |
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| Keywords: | TIC Keywords: Seasons; Soils; Nutrients; Roots; Water stress; Growth; Rumex acetosa; Phosphorus; Nitrogen; Calcium; Magnesium; Carboniferous soils
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| Abstract/Contents: | It is well known that nutrient availability in soils may vary both in time and in three dimensional space but the ecological implications of such variation have received little attention. This omission could be particularly serious when the results of comparative studies of species that differ in their growth habit and in their seasonal nutrient requirement are assessed. Preliminary evidence suggests that the survival of certain species may be enhanced by an ability to utilize short-term increases in soil nutrients (Rorison 1969). There is plentiful evidence of seasonal variatio in the availability of the major soil nutrients NPK in agricultural soils (Blakemore 1966; Russell 1973) but only of nitrogen in uncultivated soils (Williams 1969; Davy and Taylor 1974). A valuable preliminary investigation of phosphorus in some uncultivated rendzina soils (pH 6.8-7.5) was made by Vincent (1970) who showed both the occurrence of seasonal variational and the degree of fluctuation obtained from samples taken at approximately weekly intervals (Fig. 1). There are a few references to horizontal variation in uncultivated soils (Frankland, Ovington & Macrae 1963; Ball & Williams 1968) and also to vertical gradients. Generally the concentration of nutrients is found to decrease with depth (Blakemore 1966). In a study of water soluble substances in forest dernopodzolic soils Firsova (1964) found the highest levels in the letter and a sharp decrease down the mineral horizon. Variation in response to profile development and differences in soil moisture content have also been considered by Newbould (1969). He found that during times of moisture stress some plants may utilize nutrients from the lower horizons by extending their root system. Conversely, adverse edaphic characteristics in the lower horizons can also limit the growth of deep-rooted plants. Since there is a considerable area of upland Britain covered with leached acidic soils, the work to be described was included in an extensive study of plant-soil-climate relationships. The present paper reports the measurement of seasonal variation in availability of the elements N, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Al in three distinct horizons of a brown podzolic soil overlying Carboniferous limestone in Derbyshire. Because of the complexity of the soil system and the general inadequacy of any single analytical procedure to measure the availability of a nutrient for plant growth, it was decided to make three sets of measurements. Each distinct horizon was subjected to standard chemical analysis both (a) before and (b) after incubation and (c) to bioassay under standardized conditions with Rumex acetosa as the test species (Rorison 1967). In addition, chemicals were added to extra soil samples on five occasions and the growth response of Rumex acetosa measured. Marked seasonal 'flushes' in the availability of phosphorus and nitrogen were found. As expected, the highest concentrations of nutrients were in the upper part of the profile. The results also showed a positive relationship between chemical analyses of soils and the growth response of Rumex acetosa. As in previous studies (Rorison 1971) the greatest initial response was to phosphorus. |
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| Language: | English |
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| References: | Unknown |
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| Note: | Pictures
Tables
Graphs |
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| ASA/CSSA/SSSA Citation (Crop Science-Like - may be incomplete):
Gupta, P. L., and I. H. Rorison. 1975. Seasonal differences in the availability of nutrients down a podzolic profile. J. Ecol. 63(2):p. 521-534. |
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| Web URL(s):
http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/10.2307/2258733.pdf
Last checked: 01/14/2016
Requires: PDF Reader
Access conditions: Item is within a limited-access website |
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MSU catalog number: QH 540 .J6 |
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