Magnesium deficiency in Douglas-fir and Grand fir growing on a sandy outwash soil amended with sewage sludge

Abstract

Soil and plant samples were collected from chlorotic plantations of Grand fir (Abies grandis) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in Winter, 1989. The soils had been amended in 1981 with an average of 300 dry Mg ha−1 of municipal sewage sludge. The sludge amendment resulted in an N application rate of approximately 8000 kg ha−1. Foliage analysis indicated a severe Mg deficiency (0.25 g kg−1 in sludge-treated vs. 0.93 g kg−1 in untreated area) might be the cause of chlorosis. No other nutrient showed concentrations in the deficient or toxic ranges. Trace metal levels in foliage were elevated significantly for Ni, Cd and Cr in sludge-treated sites, but not toxic levels. Soil samples taken to a depth of 1.4 m indicated the potential for soil acidification (up to 0.9 pH unit) in soil surface horizons. In addition, exchangeable Ca, Mg and K may have been depleted in surface horizons. Exchangeable Al and Fe were greater in the surface of sludge-treated sites. These observations and the loss of much of the nitrogen added during the sludge amendment indicated that nitrification and cation leaching was likely the mechanism for acidification and depletion of exchangeable cations. Fertilization of the plantation with MgSO4 or dolomitic limestone was carried out in Spring 1990. New foliage collected in June, 1990 was non-chlorotic and significantly higher in Mg concentration than unfertilized foliage (1.1. vs. 0.7 g kg−1, respectively). Results of this study indicate that it is important to assess the potential for initiating a nutrient deficiency due to secondary effects of sludge application in forest systems.