The effect of liming and correction fertilisation on heavy metal and macronutrient concentrations in soil solution in heavy-metal polluted scots pine stands

Abstract

Two experiments were established in 1992 in Scots pine stands ( Pinus sylvestris L.) on relatively infertile sites at distances of 0.5 and 8 km to the SE of the Cu–Ni smelter at Harjavalta, SW Finland, in order to investigate the effects of liming, correction fertiliser and site-specific fertiliser treatments on heavy metal and nutrient concentrations in the soil solution. Liming decreased soil solution acidity at 8 km, but increased it at 0.5 km. At 8 km liming brought about a long-term increase in the Ca and Mg concentrations, and correction fertilisation a corresponding long-term increase in the K concentrations. The situation at 0.5 km was the opposite; despite the increase immediately after application, there was a long-term reduction in the Ca concentrations as a result of the liming, and correction and stand-specific fertilisation. At 0.5 km all the treatments containing varying doses of limestone clearly decreased the Cu, Ni and Zn concentrations in soil solution during 1993–1995 compared to the control.