Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assesing nutrient sustainability of forest production for different tree species considering Ca, Mg, K, N and P at Björnstorp Estate, Sweden

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Biogeochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An assessment of nutrient sustainability has been done for stands of European beech, Sycamore maple, European oak, Norway spruce, Larch, Grandis fir and Douglas fir at Björnstorp Estate in southern Sweden. To estimate the nutrient sustainability, mass balance was calculated with respect to Ca, Mg, K, N and P. The release from mineral weathering was calculated using the PROFILE model. The leaching has been estimated from observed soil water concentrations and nutrients removed by harvest from projected production. The results indicate that the planned production is on the limits of sustainability and sometimes in excess of it. The stands will overuse Ca, sometimes also Mg, K and P, if all growth is harvested. Soil acidification is still progessing at Björnstorp Estate, and soil depletion is the result of this. The estimated sustainable yield and the mass balances suggest that the leaching rate is the most uncertain factor for assessing sustainability. Different types of critical loads were investigated, including a new type, based on no excess acidity in the system. The calculations stress the importance of reducing the acid deposition and that nutrient sustainable management must be included in forest management.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aherne J, Sverdrup H, Farrell E, Cummins T (1998) Application of the SAFE model to a Norway spruce stand at Ballyhooly, Ireland. For Ecol Manag 101:331–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akselsson C, Sverdrup H, Holmqvist J (2005) Estimating weathering rates of Swedish forest soils in different scales, using the PROFILE model and affiliated databases. J Sustain For 21:119–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Alveteg M, Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P (1996) Regional assessment of dynamic aspects of soil acidification in southern Sweden. Water Air Soil Pollut 85:2509–2514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alveteg M, Kurz D, Sverdrup H (1998) Integrated assessment of soil chemical status; 1: Integration of existing models and derivation of a regional database for Switzerland. Water Air Soil Pollut 105:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballesta R, Cabrero B, Jiminez R, Sverdrup H (1995) Nivles de alteracion y cargas criticas de suelos sobre diferente materiales originaros de la comunidad de Madrid. Rev Boletin Geologico Minero 165:13–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkman A, Sverdrup H (1996) Critical loads of acidity and nutrient imbalance for forest ecosystems in Skåne. Rep Ecol Environ Eng 1:1–67. Chemical Engineering, Lund University

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkman A, Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H (1995) Regionalization of critical loads under uncertainty. Water Air Soil Pollut 85:2515–2520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barkman A, Schlyter P, Lejonklev M, Alveteg M, Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H, Arnström T (1999) Uncertainties in high resolution critical load assessment for forest soils—possibilities and constraints of combining distributed soil modelling and GIS. Environ Geogr Model 3:125–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Belyazid S, Westling O, Sverdrup H (2006) Modelling changes in soil chemistry at 16 Swedish coniferous forest sites following deposition reduction. Environ Pollut (in press)

  • Bergkvist B, Folkesson L (1995) The influence of tree species on acid deposition, proton budgets and elements fluxes in south Swedish forest ecosystems. Ecol Bull 44:90–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Brocksen R, Adams T, Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P (1990) Terrestrial liming as a tool to mitigate acidification of Woods Lake, NY. In: Zöttl W (ed) Nutrition and forest status. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Water Air Soil Pollut 54:509–527

  • Fumuto T, Shindo J, Oura N, Sverdrup H (2000) Adapting the PROFILE model to calculate the critical loads for east Asian soils by including volcanic glass weathering and alternative aluminium solubility system. J Water Air Soil Pollut 130:1247–1252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallgren-Larsson E (2001) Övervakning av luftfÖroreningar i Skåne – FÖrsurande ämnen och tungmetaller – Resultat till och med september 2001. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Report B 1404

  • Hellsten E (2004) Skogsskötselns uthållighet och skogsmarkens bärkraft vid Christinehof. Rep Ecol Environ Eng 7. Chemical Engineering, Lund University

  • Holmqvist J, Thelin G, Rosengren U, Sternquist I, Wallman P, Sverdrup H (2002) Assessment of sustainability in the Asa Forest Park. In: Sverdrup H, Stjernquist I (eds) Developing principles for sustainable forestry. Results from a research program in southern Sweden. Managing Forest Ecosystems, vol 5. Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp 381–426

  • Jönsson U, Rosengren U, Thelin G, Nihlgård B (2003) Acidification induced chemical changes in coniferous forest soils in southern Sweden 1988–1999. Environ Pollut 123:75–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karltun E (1994) Principal geographic variation in the acidification of Swedish forest soils. Water Air Soil Pollut 76:353–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimmins JP (1997) Forest ecology. A foundation for sustainable management. Prentice Hall, London, 435 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Köstler JN, Brückner E, Bibelriether H (1968) Die Wurzeln der Waldbaume. Parey, Hamburg

  • Kurz D, Alveteg M, Sverdrup H (1998) Integrated assessment of soil chemical status; 2: Application of a regionalized model to 622 forested sites in Switzerland. Water Air Soil Pollut 105:12–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langan S, Sverdrup H, Cull M (1996) Calculation of base cation release from the chemical weathering of Scottish soils using the PROFILE model. Water Air Soil Pollut 85:2487–2502

    Google Scholar 

  • Leuschner C, Hertel D, Muhs A, Schmidt I (1998) Feinwurzel-Bestandesmassen der rotbuche an verschiedenen Standorten innerhalb ihrer ökologischen Amplitude in Nordwest- und Mitteldeutschland. Verh Ges ökologie 28:429–434

    Google Scholar 

  • Makarov MI, Kiseleva VV (1995) Acidification and nutrient imbalance in forest soils subjected to nitrogen deposition. Water Air Soil Pollut 85:1137–1142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mapping Manual (2004) Manual on methodologies and criteria for modelling and mapping critical loads and levels and air pollution effects, risks and trends. 251 pp. UNECE Convention on Long-range transboundary air pollution (LRTAP), Geneva. Mapping Manual 2004 http://www.icpmapping.org

  • Martinsson L, Alveteg M, Kronnas V, Sverdrup H, Westling O, Warfvinge P (2005) A regional perspective on present and future soil chemistry at 16 Swedish forest sites. Water Air Soil Pollut 4:1–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nihlgård B (1999) Förslag till riktlinjer för bedömning av behovet av mineralkomplettering av normal produktiv skogsmark (Guidelines for estimation of necessity of mineral supplement to normal productive forest soils). Report to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Stockholm

  • Persson H, Majdi H (1995) Effects of acid deposition on tree roots in Swedish forest stands. Water Air Soil Pollut 85:1287–1292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosengren U, Stjernquist I (2004) Gå på djupet—Om rotdjup och rotproduktion i olika skogstyper. SUFOR programme annual report 2004. Swedish Agricultural University, Alnarp, Sweden

  • Semenov M, Bashkin V, Sverdrup H (2000) Application of biochemical model PROFILE for assessment of North Asian ecosystem sensitivity to acid deposition. Asian J Energy Environ 1:143–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlyter P, Anderson S (1992) Forest damage in the counties of Scania and Halland, Sweden, with an analysis of the damage development between 1986 and 1991. Report Länsstyrelsen i Kristianstad län, Sweden

  • Stjernquist I, Rosengren U, Sonesson K, Sverdrup H, Thelin G, Nihlgård B (2002) Forest health indicators. In: Sverdrup H, Stjernquist I (eds) Developing principles for sustainable forestry. Results from a research program in southern Sweden. Managing forest ecosystems, vol 5. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 204–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Südhaus M (1999) Nutrient demand of Norway spruce and root distribution in mixed species stands versus monocultures. Honours thesis. Department of Ecology, Lund University

  • Sverdrup H (1990) Kinetics of base cation release from chemical weathering of silicate minerals. Lund University Press, Chartwell-Bratt Ltd, London, ISBN 0-86238-247-5, 245 pp

  • Sverdrup H, Rosen K (1998) Long-term base cation mass balances for Swedish forests and the concept of sustainability. For Ecol Manag 10:221–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Svensson M (2002) Defining sustainability. In: Sverdrup H, Stjernquist I (eds) Developing principles for sustainable forestry. Results from a research program in southern. Sweden managing forest ecosystems, vol 5. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 21–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Svensson M (2004) Defining the concept of sustainability, a matter of systems analysis. In: Olsson M, Sjöstedt G (eds) Revealing complex structures—challenges for Swedish systems analysis. Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp 122–142

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P (1988a) Weathering of primary silicate minerals in the natural soil environment in relation to a chemical weathering model. Water Air Soil 38:387–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P (1988b) Assesment of critical loads of acid deposition on forest soils. In: Nilsson J (ed) Critical loads for sulphur and nitrogen. Nordic Council of Ministers and The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), Stockholm Nordic Council of Ministers. Miljörapport 15:81–130

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P (1988c) Chemical weathering of minerals in the Gårdsjön catchment in relation to a model based on laboratory rate coefficients. In: Nilsson J (ed) Critical loads for sulphur and nitrogen. Nordic Council of Ministers and The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Stockholm. Nordic Council of Ministers. Miljörapport 15:131–150

  • Sverdrup H. Warfvinge P (1993a) The effect of soil acidification on the growth of trees, grass and herbs as expressed by the (Ca+Mg+K)/Al ratio. Rep Ecol Environ Eng 2:1–247. Chemical Engineering, Lund University

    Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P (1993b) Calculating field weathering rates using a mechanistic geochemical model—PROFILE. J Appl Geochem 8:273–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P (1995) Estimating field weathering rates using laboratory kinetics. In: White AF, Brantley SL (eds) Chemical weathering rates of silicate minerals. Mineralogical Society of America, Washington DC. Rev Mineral 31:485–541

  • Sverdrup H, de Vries W, Henriksen A (1990) Mapping critical loads. Nordic Council of Ministers, Geneva. Miljörapport 15, Nord 98

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P, Janicki A, Morgan R, Rabenhorst M, Bowman M (1992) Mapping critical loads and steady state stream chemistry in the state of Maryland. Environ Pollut 77:195–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge W, Blake L, Goulding K (1995) Modeling recent and historic soil data from the Rothamsted Experimental Station, UK, using SAFE. Agric Ecosyst Environ 53:161–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P, Britt D (1996) Assessing the potential for forest effects due to soil acidification in Maryland. Water Air Soil Pollut 87:245–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Warfvinge P, Wickman T (1997) Estimating the weathering rate at Gårdsjön using different methods. In: Hultberg H, Skeffington R (eds) Experimental reversal of acid rain effects. The Gårdsjön Project. John Wiley Science, London, pp 19–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Nihlgård B, Svensson M, Thelin G (2002) Principles of sustainable forest management. In: Sverdrup H, Stjernquist I (eds) Developing principles for sustainable forestry. Results from a research program in southern Sweden Managing Forest Ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 33–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Stjernquist I, Thelin G, Holmqvist J, Svensson M (2005a) Application of natural, social, and economical sustainability limitations to forest management, based on Swedish experiences. J Sustain For 21:147–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Sverdrup H, Martinsson L, Alveteg M, Moldan F, Kronnäs V, Munthe J (2005b) Modeling recovery of Swedish ecosystems from acidification. Ambio 34:25–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Thelin G, Rosengren-Brinck U, Nihlgård B, Barkman A (1998) Trends in needle and soil chemistry of Norway spruce and Scots pine stands in South Sweden 1985–1994. Environ Pollut 99:149–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thelin G, Sverdrup H, Holmqvist J, Rosengren U, Linden M (2002) Sustainability in spruce and mixed-species stands. In: Sverdrup H, Stjernquist I (eds) Developing principles for sustainable forestry. Results from a research program in southern. Sweden managing forest ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 337–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H (1989) Modelling limestone dissolution in soils. Soil Sci Soc Am 53:44–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H (1992) Calculating critical loads of acid deposition with PROFILE—a steady-state soil chemistry model. Water Air Soil Pollut 63:119–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H (1995) Critical loads of acidity to Swedish forest soil, methods, data and results. Reports in Environmental Engineering and Ecology 5:1–127. Chemical Engineering, Lund University. Lund, Sweden

  • Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H, Rosen K (1992a). Calculating critical loads for N to forest soils. Nord 41:403–417. Nordic Council of Ministers

    Google Scholar 

  • Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H, Ågren H, Rosen K (1992b) Effekter av luftföroreningar pÅ framtida skogstillväxt. In: Skogspolitiken inför 2000-talet-1990 Års skogspolitiska kommitte, Statens Offentliga Utredningar SOU: 76:377–412

  • Warfvinge P, Falkengren-Grerup U, Sverdrup H, Andersen B (1993) Modeling long-term cation supply in acidified forest stands. Environ Pollut 80:209–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warfvinge P, Sverdrup H, Alveteg M, Rietz F (1996) Modelling geochemistry and lake pH since glaciation at lake Gårdsjön. Water Air Soil Pollut 85:713–718

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, 124, 22100, Lund, Sweden

    H. Sverdrup, G. Thelin & Marta Robles

  2. Institute for Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden

    Ingrid Stjernquist

  3. Forest Management, Björnstorp Estate, Genarp, Sweden

    J. Sörensen

Authors
  1. H. Sverdrup
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Thelin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marta Robles
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ingrid Stjernquist
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. Sörensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. Sverdrup.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sverdrup, H., Thelin, G., Robles, M. et al. Assesing nutrient sustainability of forest production for different tree species considering Ca, Mg, K, N and P at Björnstorp Estate, Sweden. Biogeochemistry 81, 219–238 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-006-9038-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-006-9038-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation