Long-term effects on soil-water chemistry of wood ash and nitrogen application in a conifer forest

Abstract

Wood-ash application to forestland has been proposed as a means to compensate for increased nutrient removal when harvesting logging residue in addition to stems. A study-plot experiment was established on a mineral soil site in Sweden to investigate how this measure affects soil-water chemistry. In 1995, 10 treatments were applied. Here, we present results from 9 to 17 years after application for eight of the treatments: control; 3 x 10(3), 6 x 10(3), and 9 x 10(3) kg.ha(-1) of self-hardened and crushed wood ash (WA); 150 kg N.ha(-1) supplied as ammonium nitrate; 3 x 10(3) kg WA and 150 kg N.ha(-1) applied simultaneously; 3 x 10(3) kg WA with 150 kg N.ha(-1) applied 1 month before the ash; and 3 x 10(3) kg.ha(-1) of pelleted ash. Soil-water samples were collected from a depth of 50 cm. Treatment effects (p < 0.05) were detected in the electrical conductivity, pH, and concentrations of K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Al, SO42--S, and B. Elevation of K+ and SO42--S concentrations tended to cease toward the end of the study period. Effects were generally more pronounced with increasing ash dosage. No difference was detected between the 150 kg N.ha(-1) treatment and the control. Despite the high solubility of the ash, its effects on soil-water chemistry could still be detected 9-17 years after application.

Keywords

boreal; fertilization; soil solution; mineral soil; suction cup

Published in

Canadian Journal of Forest Research
2021, Volume: 51, number: 6, pages: 792-806 Publisher: CANADIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING

SLU Authors

• Högbom, Lars

  • Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Forestry Research Institute of Sweden, Skogforsk

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2020-0088

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/112710