Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensity

We studied the spatial evenness of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and the effects of fertilization intensity on the short-term volume growth responses in two ground-fertilized Scots pine and two airborne-fertilized Norway spruce study sites on mesic (Myrtillus-type) upland forests in Eastern Finland. We al...

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Main Authors: Olli Muhonen, Heli Peltola, Annamari Laurén, Veli-Pekka Ikonen, Juha Nevalainen, Laura Pikkarainen, Antti Kilpeläinen, Samuli Launiainen, Marjo Palviainen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Finnish Society of Forest Science 2025-05-01
Series:Silva Fennica
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Online Access:https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/24026
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author Olli Muhonen
Heli Peltola
Annamari Laurén
Veli-Pekka Ikonen
Juha Nevalainen
Laura Pikkarainen
Antti Kilpeläinen
Samuli Launiainen
Marjo Palviainen
author_facet Olli Muhonen
Heli Peltola
Annamari Laurén
Veli-Pekka Ikonen
Juha Nevalainen
Laura Pikkarainen
Antti Kilpeläinen
Samuli Launiainen
Marjo Palviainen
author_sort Olli Muhonen
collection DOAJ
description We studied the spatial evenness of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and the effects of fertilization intensity on the short-term volume growth responses in two ground-fertilized Scots pine and two airborne-fertilized Norway spruce study sites on mesic (Myrtillus-type) upland forests in Eastern Finland. We also studied the relationships between measured fertilizer dose, N concentrations in the needles and soil organic (humus) layer, and volume growth of the trees. In each study site, we established three replicate 1 ha blocks for each fertilization treatment (0, 150 and 200 kg N ha–1). Each block contained three 200 m2 circular plots. The spatial evenness of the fertilizer was measured using textile funnels. The height, breast height diameter and vitality of the trees were measured annually. The nutrient concentrations in the needles and humus layer were measured once. Differences between the target and measured fertilizer doses were 3–10% for Scots pine and 11–22% for Norway spruce. At the Scots pine and Norway spruce sites, the volume growth was 0.4–2.1 and 1.8–2.6 m3 ha–1 a–1 higher with fertilization, respectively. The fertilizer dose correlated with the N concentrations in the needles and humus layer, and volume growth. Significant volume growth responses to the fertilization (p < 0.05) were found only in the Scots pine at Ilomantsi, possibly due to variations in the initial volume and the fertilizer dose realized between and within treatments. We expect that the differences in volume growth responses between fertilization treatments will increase over time.
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spelling doaj-art-2d439e46f5954943a6e50f44b1ee8bbb2025-08-20T02:03:20ZengFinnish Society of Forest ScienceSilva Fennica2242-40752025-05-0159110.14214/sf.24026Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensityOlli Muhonen0https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4051-8567Heli Peltola1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1384-9153Annamari Laurén2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6835-9568Veli-Pekka Ikonen3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1732-2922Juha Nevalainen4https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2972-4385Laura Pikkarainen5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5301-3639Antti Kilpeläinen6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4299-0578Samuli Launiainen7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6611-6573Marjo Palviainen8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9963-4748University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandUniversity of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandUniversity of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland; University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences, Latokartanonkaari 7, FI-00014 Helsinki, FinlandUniversity of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandUniversity of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandUniversity of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandUniversity of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandNatural Resources Institute Finland, Bioeconomy and Environment, Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790 Helsinki, FinlandUniversity of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences, Latokartanonkaari 7, FI-00014 Helsinki, FinlandWe studied the spatial evenness of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and the effects of fertilization intensity on the short-term volume growth responses in two ground-fertilized Scots pine and two airborne-fertilized Norway spruce study sites on mesic (Myrtillus-type) upland forests in Eastern Finland. We also studied the relationships between measured fertilizer dose, N concentrations in the needles and soil organic (humus) layer, and volume growth of the trees. In each study site, we established three replicate 1 ha blocks for each fertilization treatment (0, 150 and 200 kg N ha–1). Each block contained three 200 m2 circular plots. The spatial evenness of the fertilizer was measured using textile funnels. The height, breast height diameter and vitality of the trees were measured annually. The nutrient concentrations in the needles and humus layer were measured once. Differences between the target and measured fertilizer doses were 3–10% for Scots pine and 11–22% for Norway spruce. At the Scots pine and Norway spruce sites, the volume growth was 0.4–2.1 and 1.8–2.6 m3 ha–1 a–1 higher with fertilization, respectively. The fertilizer dose correlated with the N concentrations in the needles and humus layer, and volume growth. Significant volume growth responses to the fertilization (p < 0.05) were found only in the Scots pine at Ilomantsi, possibly due to variations in the initial volume and the fertilizer dose realized between and within treatments. We expect that the differences in volume growth responses between fertilization treatments will increase over time.https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/24026pinus sylvestrispicea abiesboreal foreststand growthforest fertilizationupland forestsnitrogen fertilizer dose
spellingShingle Olli Muhonen
Heli Peltola
Annamari Laurén
Veli-Pekka Ikonen
Juha Nevalainen
Laura Pikkarainen
Antti Kilpeläinen
Samuli Launiainen
Marjo Palviainen
Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensity
Silva Fennica
pinus sylvestris
picea abies
boreal forest
stand growth
forest fertilization
upland forests
nitrogen fertilizer dose
title Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensity
title_full Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensity
title_fullStr Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensity
title_full_unstemmed Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensity
title_short Spatial evenness of fertilization and short-term volume growth responses of Scots pine and Norway spruce to fertilization intensity
title_sort spatial evenness of fertilization and short term volume growth responses of scots pine and norway spruce to fertilization intensity
topic pinus sylvestris
picea abies
boreal forest
stand growth
forest fertilization
upland forests
nitrogen fertilizer dose
url https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/24026
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