The characteristics of the elemental composition of the scots pine wood in accordance with the conditions of a growing site and a vegetation phase

Abstract

The formation of the elemental composition of plants is a dynamic process, which is aff ected by a large number of concurrent genetic and environmental factors, and their signifi cance varies according to the conditions and the state of the environment. The goal of the work was to study the characteristics of the accumulation of 8 chemical elements in Scots pine wood under the infl uence of seasonal and ecological variability. The objects of our research were old-growth forest stands on the territory of the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. In total, 7 temporary sample plots were laid in diff erent types of forest. The quantitative content of elements was determined using an energy-dispersive X-ray fl uorescent spectrometer ElvaX. Research indicated that a common feature for all the studied types of forest by the end of a vegetation season is an increase in the concentration of Mn and Cu in wood. Consequently, they give an indication of the seasonal diff erences in the wood samples for all forest plots with growing conditions close to the studied forest types. Regardless of sampling season, a decrease in the concentration of Ca and K and an increase in the concentration of Sr and Zn are observed in wood during the transition from dry to semi-moist and moist growing conditions. The additional diff erentiating elements in the study of the ecological variability of wood are the following: Rb, Sr and Pb. The obtained data can be used as reference or indicative information in studies aimed at solving problems to explore opportunities for narrowing the group affi liation while clarifying the temporal parameters of the objects and their attitude to a particular plot.

Keywords

• scots pine
• microelement composition
• x-ray fl uorescence analysis
• environmental factors
• vegetation period