Variations in the Chemical Composition of Red Pine (Pinus resinosa Ait) Leaves: a Comparison of Well-grown and Poorly grown Trees

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Abstract
Four 30-year-old poorly grown red pine from a plantation on degraded alluvial sandy soil which has responded only to potassium fertilizers, and three well-grown trees of approximately the same age but twice the height on a glacial till soil, were felled. The leaves from each first order branch whorl and of each age class were removed separately and analysed for potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and ash. The concentrations of the various elements in any particular sample from the well-grown plot were usually higher than in the corresponding sample from the poorly grown plot, except in the case of calcium when the reverse was true. The changes in chemical concentrations with increasing needle age were similar for all seven trees. Nitrogen concentrations in one- and two-year-old needles were approximately the same but decreased in three-year-old needles. Concentrations of potassium and phosphorus decreased, and of calcium increased, with age. Magnesium concentrations did not change consistently. The effect of position in crown on nutrient concentrations was much greater in the well-grown plot irrespective of whether results were expressed on a dry-weight or ash-weight basis. In both plots, potassium and phosphorus concentrations, percentage of dry weight, had minimum values in mid-crown. Results for other constituents differed between plots.

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