Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2010, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (6): 661-670.DOI: 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.06.005

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Nutrient accumulation and allocation of aboveground parts in Quercus acutissima plantations under two site conditions in Anhui, China

TANG Luo-Zhong1,*(), LIU Zhi-Long1, YU Mu-Kui2, FANG Sheng-Zuo1, ZHAO Dan1, WANG Zi-Yin1   

  1. 1College of Forest Resources and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
    2Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Fuyang, Zhejiang 311400, China
  • Received:2009-03-02 Accepted:2010-03-05 Online:2010-03-02 Published:2010-06-01
  • Contact: TANG Luo-Zhong

Abstract:

Aims Quercus acutissima is widely distributed in China. Because of high resistance to drought and the adaptation to poor soil condition, it is commonly planted in mountainous and hilly areas for soil and water conservation and wood production. Our objective is to study its growth and nutrient use strategy for the purpose of better plantation management.

Methods We analyzed biomass, nutrient contents and nutrient distributions of 12-year-old Q. acutissima stands at two different sites at Hongyashan Forest Farm, Chuzhou, Anhui, China: a poor site with high gravel content and low soil nutrient concentration and a rich site with low gravel content and high soil nutrient concentration.

Important findings In the poor site, the aboveground biomass of Q. acutissima was 49 180.2 kg·hm-2, total nutrient accumulation in the aboveground biomass was 633.9 kg·hm-2 and the storage of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) was 119.9, 18.7, 88.5, 368.6 and 38.2 kg·hm-2, respectively. In the rich site, the aboveground biomass was 90 774.8 kg·hm-2, total nutrient accumulation was 993.6 kg·hm-2 and the storage of N, P, K, Ca and Mg was 203.5, 23.0, 146.9, 553.6 and 66.6 kg·hm-2, respectively. Results indicated obvious effects of site conditions on biomass productivity and nutrient accumulation of Q. acutissima plantations. Moreover, the nutrient accumulation coefficient of Q. acutissima was higher, while the nutrient concentration of litterfall was lower in the poor site than in the rich site. Therefore, adaptation of Q. acutissima to poor soil conditions involved increased nutrient uptake, increased internal nutrient cycling and reduced nutrient loss through litterfall.

Key words: biomass, nutrient accumulation, nutrient utilization, Quercus acutissima, site condition