Summary
Eighteen major and trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Sb, Sc, Sr, V, Zn) have been determined in needles ofPicea abies by neutron activation analysis. Trees from 31 sites with different characteristics were investigated. The sampled area was 140 km2 and centered around the city of Winterthur, Switzerland.
The effect of washing the needles before analysis was investigated. Washing was found to be essential for a meaningful determination of most elements. The values of the individual elements could be approximated by normal or by lognormal distributions. The width of these distributions varies greatly, being 14% for Cu and a factor of 5 for Mn. Many elements show highly significant positive or negative correlations.
Whereas the levels of the major elements as determined here are in the generally accepted range, the values for most of the minor elements show very poor correspondence with published values. For some elements the present data seem to be the only available values. Distinct environmental influences were only manifest for Na, Cl, Br, and these elements show very high values at sites bordering highways.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anke M, Groppel B, Prien S, Briedermann L and Mehlitz S 1980 Die Mengen- und Spuren-elementversorgung der Wildwiederkäuer. Arch. Tierernährung 30, 707–721.
Anke M, Riedel R, Brückner E and Dittrich G 1980 Die Mengen- und Spurenelementversorgung der Wildwiederkäuer. Arch. Tierernährung 30, 479–490.
Bajo S, Suter U and Aeschlimen B 1983 Apparatus for wet ashing of organic materials. Anal. Chim. Acta 149, 321–335.
Bajo S and Wyttenbach A 1979 Lead, cadmium and zinc bis (diethyldithiocarbamate) as reagent for liquid-liquid extraction. Anal. Chem. 51, 376–378.
Brooks R R 1972 Geobotany and biogeochemistry in mineral exploration. Harper and Row, New York, 290 p.
Camirand R, Camire C and Bernier B 1983 Comportement dePicea abies Karst. en plantation au Québec, Canada. Plant and Soil 73, 3–26.
Carlisle A, Brown A F H and White E J 1967 The nutrient content of tree stemflow and ground flora litter. J. Ecoln. 55, 615–627.
Ferraz J and Zöttl H W 1979 Nährelementspiegel und Spurenelementverteilung in Fichtenbeständen des Grundgebirgs-Schwarzwaldes. Mitteilgn. Dtsch. Bodenkundl. Ges. 29, 587–594.
Fiedler H J and Ilgen G 1981 Zum Spurenelementgehalt von Fichtenstandorten im Tharandter Wald und Osterzgebirge. Arch. Naturschutz u. Landschaftsforsch. Berlin 21, 159–173.
Gladney E S 1980 Elemental concentrations in NBS biological and environmental standard reference materials. Anal. Chim. Acta 118, 385–396.
Günthardt M S and Wanner H 1982 Die Menge des, cuticulären Wachses auf Nadeln vonPinus cembra L. undPicea abies (L.). Karsten. Flora 172, 125–137.
Heinrichs H and Mayer R 1980 The role of forest vegetation in the biogeochemical cycle of heavy metals. J. Environ. Qual. 9, 111–118.
Horak O 1977 Bestimmung von Spurenelementen in Sättigungswasserextrakten verschiedener Böden. SGAE Ber. No. 2780.
Keller Th 1972 Ueber die Ueberwachung der Immissionen von Kehrichtverbrennungsanstalten mit Hilfe von Nadelanalysen auf Chloride. Mitteil. forstl. Bundes-Versuchsanstalt Wien. No. 97, 271–279.
Keller Th, Bajo S and Wyttenbach A. (In preparation).
Kreutzer K 1972 Die Wirkung des Manganmangels auf die Farbe, die Pigmente und den Gaswechsel von Fichtennadeln. Forstw. Cbl. 91, 80–98.
Landoldt W, Bucher J and Kaufmann E 1984 Waldschäden, in der Schweiz. Schweiz. Z. Forstwesen, 135, 637–653.
Le Tacon F and Millier C 1970 Influence des conditions de nutrition minérale sur la croissance de l'épicéa commun sur les plateux calcaires de la France. Ann. Sci. Forest. 27, 335–355.
Lonergan J F 1975 The availability and absorption of trace elements in soil-plant systems and their relation to movement and concentrations of trace elements in plants.In Trace Elements in Soil-Plant-Animal Systems. Eds. Nicholas and Egan. Acad. Press, New York, 353 p.
Pape H 1981 Development of a Geochemical Mapping Method for the Prospecting of Deposits, Environmental Research and Regional Planning on the Basis of Multielement Investigations of Plant Ashes. Bornträger, Berlin, 70 p.
Pavlov M B 1972 Bioelement-Inventur von Buchen- und Fichtenbeständen im Solling. Gött. Bodenkundl. Ber. No. 25.
Raisch W 1983 Bioelementverteilung in Fichtenökosystemen der Bärhalde, Freib. Bodnekundl. Abh. Heft 11, 239 p.
Raupach M 1975 Trace element disorders in Pinus and their correction.In Trace Elements in Soil-Plant-Animal Systems. Eds. Nicholas and Egan. Acad. Press. New York, 353 p.
Sinclair A J 1980 Statistical analysis of trace element data.In Applied Soil Trace Elements Ed. B E Davies. Wiley, Chichester, 482 p.
Ulrich B, Mayer R and Khanna P K 1979 Deposition von Luftverunreiningugen und ihre Auswirkungen in Waldökosystemen im Solling. Schriften aus der Forstlichen Fakultät der Universität Göttingen, Band 58.
Wyttenbach A und Keller Th. (In preparation).
Zöttl H W 1983 Zur Frage der toxischen Wirkung von Aluminium auf Pflanzen. Allg. Forstz. 38, 206–208.
Zöttl H W and Mies E 1983 Die Fichtenerkrankung in Hochlagen des Südschwarzwaldes. Allg. Forst. u. J. Ztg. 154, 110–114.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wyttenbach, A., Bajo, S., Tobler, L. et al. Major and trace element concentrations in needles ofPicea abies: levels, distribution functions, correlations and environmental influences. Plant Soil 85, 313–325 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02220187
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02220187