Distribution of Selected Chemical Elements in Even-Aged Alder (Alnus) Ecosystems near Fairbanks, Alaska
Van Cleve K and Viereck LA. 1972. Distribution of Selected Chemical Elements in Even-Aged Alder (Alnus) Ecosystems near Fairbanks, Alaska. Arctic and Alpine Research. 4(3):239-255
This study reports the distribution of selected nutrient elements in portions of 5-, 15- and 20-year-old alder ecosystems developing on the Tanana River floodplain in central Alaska. Distribution of elements is shown for foliage, branches, boles, litter, roots, and soil by percentage and on a kilogram per hectare basis. The most obvious change in nutrient distribution with time between soil and plant material was found for potassium. The proportion of available ecosystem soil K decreased from 100% at time zero to 60.9% at 20 years, while the proportion of K in plant material increased from 0% to 39.1% over the 20-year period of system development. The change in distribution of nutrient elements within the plant components as a function of time primarily reflects change in biomass distribution. Regression equations were developed relating biomass and mass of nutrient elements in aboveground alder tree components to tree basal diameter. For the 5- to 20-year period in ecosystem development the gross average annual nutrient uptake by the vegetation expressed as kg ha-1 is 2.6 for P, 11.4 for K, 33.7 for Ca, 8.5 for Mg, and 0.2 for Mn.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Van Cleve, Keith; Viereck, Leslie
- Units
- DENA , WRST , YUCH
- Keywords
- Alder, Ecology (Terrestrial), plant chemistry, Subarctic, Taiga