Nitrogen and micro-, macroelement ratios in current-year needles of Juniperus communis L. Lithuania populations

Abstract

Juniperus communis L. is cosmopolitan conifer species growing in unpolluted areas and nitrogen poor soils. Both, plant growth and health are tightly related to composition of essential elements in the needles and soil. Evaluating nutrition among the most important aspects are ratios between nitrogen and other macro- and microelements. This ratio has been employed as an indicator to estimate a plant nutritional level and the balance of physiological optimum for plant growth. This type of analysis is not widely applied to investigate characteristics of needles elements of common juniper. The main purpose of the study was to assess ratios of the elements composition of the needles collected from populations which differ in geographic position and habitat type. Nutritional elements concentrations were examined in 14 populations of Juniperus communis L. Nitrogen concentration were estimated by Kjeldhal method. Other elements: macro- (P, K, Ca, Mg), microelements (Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu), were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry except phosphorus analysed spectrophotometrically. Our results demonstrate ratios between N:P ranged from 8.83 (Panevezys) to 12.74 (Kelme I), N:K – 3.89 (Ignalina II) – 6.00 (Trakai), N:Ca – 0.76 (Ignalina II) – 2.17 (Alytus), N:Mg – 18.66 (Ignalina II) – 31.76 (Ignalina I), N:Fe – 128.69 (Neringa) – 795.30 (Kaunas), N:Zn – 610.21 (Kelme II) – 1176.63 (Trakai), N:Cu – 2387.40 (Alytus) – 10133.64 (Ignalina II), N:Mn – 14.06 (Kelme II) – 493.28 (Jurbarkas). Ratios of nitrogen to macro-, microelements in the needles could be used to assess the effective predictors of nutrient limitation, management and monitoring purposes in considering the nutritional status of J. communis in various habitats.