Growth, net photosynthesis and leaf nutrient status of Fagus crenata seedlings grown in brown forest soil acidified with H2SO4 or HNO3 solution

Abstract

To obtain basic information for evaluating critical loads of acid deposition for protecting Japanese beech forests, growth, net photosynthesis and leaf nutrient status of Fagus crenata seedlings grown for two growing seasons in brown forest soil acidified with H2SO4 or HNO3 solution were investigated. The whole-plant dry mass of the seedlings grown in the soil acidified by the addition of H2SO4 or HNO3 solution was significantly less than that of the seedlings grown in the control soil not supplemented with H+ as H2SO4 or HNO3 solution. However, the degrees of reduction in the whole-plant dry mass and net photosynthetic rate of the seedlings grown in the soil acidified by the addition of H+ as H2SO4 solution at 100 mg l−1 on the basis of air-dried soil volume (S-100 treatment) were greater than those of the seedlings grown in the soil acidified by the addition of H+ as HNO3 solution at 100 mg l−1 (N-100 treatment). The concentrations of Al and Mn in the leaves of the seedlings grown in the S-100 treatment were significantly higher than those in the N-100 treatment. A positive correlation was obtained between the molar ratio of (Ca+Mg+K)/(Al+Mn) in the soil solution and the relative whole-plant dry mass of the seedlings grown in the acidified soils to that of the seedlings grown in the control soil. Based on the results, we concluded that the negative effects of soil acidification due to sulfate deposition are greater than those of soil acidification due to nitrate deposition on growth, net photosynthesis and leaf nutrient status of F. crenata, and that the molar ratio of (Ca+Mg+K)/(Al+Mn) in soil solution is a suitable soil parameter for evaluating critical loads of acid deposition in efforts to protect F. crenata forests in Japan.