© 1986 Heron Publishing—Victoria, Canada
Changes in carbon allocation patterns in spruce and pine trees following irrigation and fertilization
E. Axelsson (1) and B. Axelsson (1, 2)
1. Section of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden / 2. Development and Environment, Swedish State Power Board, S-162 87 Vaellingby, Sweden /
Summary
The paper presents an overview of the results of long-term fertilization and irrigation experiments in stands of Scots pine
(Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). Large increases in stemwood production during the first 12 years of the experiments were achieved by fertilization
especially when a balanced mixture of macro- and micronutrients was applied. The effect of irrigation alone was small, but
it greatly enhanced the response of the ground vegetation to the application of a balanced fertilizer. Fertilization did not
greatly affect the leaf/stemwood biomass ratio, but reduced the ratio of fine roots to total biomass. Drought reduced the
coarse-root biomass/fine-root biomass ratio.
