Effects of nitrogen fertilization on the ground vegetation cover and soil chemical properties in Scots pine and Norway spruce stands

Johanna Jetsonen; Annamari Laurén; Heli Peltola; Olli Muhonen; Juha Nevalainen; Veli-Pekka Ikonen; Antti Kilpeläinen; Eeva-Stiina Tuittila; Elisa Männistö; Nicola Kokkonen; Marjo Palviainen

doi:10.14214/sf.23058

Silva Fennica (Feb 2024)

Effects of nitrogen fertilization on the ground vegetation cover and soil chemical properties in Scots pine and Norway spruce stands

Johanna Jetsonen,
Annamari Laurén,
Heli Peltola,
Olli Muhonen,
Juha Nevalainen,
Veli-Pekka Ikonen,
Antti Kilpeläinen,
Eeva-Stiina Tuittila,
Elisa Männistö,
Nicola Kokkonen,
Marjo Palviainen

Affiliations

Johanna Jetsonen: Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
Annamari Laurén: ORCiD; Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland; Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Heli Peltola: Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Olli Muhonen: ORCiD; Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Juha Nevalainen: ORCiD; Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Veli-Pekka Ikonen: ORCiD; Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Antti Kilpeläinen: ORCiD; Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Eeva-Stiina Tuittila: Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Elisa Männistö: ORCiD; Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Nicola Kokkonen: ORCiD; Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Marjo Palviainen: Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.23058
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 58, no. 1

Abstract

Read online

The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization intensity on the ground vegetation cover and soil chemical properties in two Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and two Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) dominated stands on upland forest sites in Eastern Finland. The fertilizer was applied using a helicopter in the spruce stands and a forwarder in the pine stands. The distribution and the amount of fertilizer was measured with funnel traps. Cover of each species of ground vegetation was estimated before fertilization and 3–4 years after it in pine and 2–3 years after it in spruce stands. Further, the cover observations were aggregated by plant types. Based on measurements, we analyzed the effects of the funnel-trap-observed amount of N fertilizer on the cover and plant type composition of ground vegetation and soil N and C concentration. In addition, we analyzed the impacts of competition caused by trees on the ground vegetation cover based on competition indices. N fertilization increased the cover of herbaceous plants and decreased the cover of mosses and dwarf shrubs, and the total cover of ground vegetation. Further, it increased the N concentration of the mor humus layer. The magnitude of the changes increased with the intensity of the N fertilization. The competition caused by trees did not affect the cover of ground vegetation.

Published in Silva Fennica

ISSN: 2242-4075 (Online)
Publisher: Finnish Society of Forest Science
Country of publisher: Finland
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Forestry
Website: https://silvafennica.fi/

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords