LIME‐CHLOROSIS AS A FACTOR IN SEEDLING ESTABLISHMENT ON CALCAREOUS SOILS

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Abstract
Summary: A comparative study under uniform laboratory conditions has been made of the relative susceptibility to lime‐chlorosis of 135 British species. These species were chosen as being either (a) largely confined to calcareous soils or (b) largely confined to non‐calcareous, especially acidic, soils. A number of species of wider soil tolerance were also grown. It was found that the species of groups (a) and (b) differed markedly from each other in chlorosis susceptibility. More than 90% of the species of calcareous soils were either resistant to lime‐chlorosis or were only mildly affected, whilst more than 60% of the species of acidic soils were susceptible to the condition. Evidence is presented that divergence in chlorosis susceptibility has occurred both within genera and within species. Family differences would also seem to occur. A possible mechanism for the origin of these differences and their ecological significance is discussed.