Canadian Forest Service Publications

Transfers of soluble inorganic elements in a boreal fir forest. 1990. Robitaille, G.; Boutin, R. Forestry Canada, Quebec Region, Sainte-Foy, Quebec. Information Report LAU-X-94. 34 p.

Year: 1990

Issued by: Laurentian Forestry Centre

Catalog ID: 14214

Language: English

Series: Information Report (LFC - Québec)

Availability: PDF (download)

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Abstract

The concentrations and fluxes of the major ions were examined for a boreal balsam fir forest located at the Lake Laflamme catchment, Montmorency Forest, 80 km N of Quebec City. The pH of the throughfall (TF) and the incident bulk precipitation (INCB) were equal (4.40) and higher than in the stemflow (SF) (4.18). Below the roots soil solution (BR) and output stream (OS) were less acid with respective pHs of 4.85 and 6.52. With the exception of NH₄ and NO₃, the throughfall and stemflow were more concentrated than the INCB. The enrichment factors for K, Mg, Mn, and Ca were 12, 4, 4, and 3 for the throughfall and 83, 14, 21, and 11 for the stemflow. Based on the weighted mean concentrations of seven years for a vegetation period of 5 months, we have estimated that the catchment has accumulated 0.22 kg/ha of H and 4.4 kg/ha of NO₃ and has lost respectively 5.1, 2.0, 1.6, 1.3, and 0.04 kg/ha of Ca, SO₄ Na, Mg, CI, and K. The overall canopy process was neutral salt leaching of cations. The use of a lime potential calculation supported the identification of a Ca+Mg front that moves through the forest canopy. Actual proton production in the forest system indicated that soil acidification had several causes.

Also available under the title:
Transferts d'éléments inorganiques solubles dans une forêt de sapins baumiers située dans la région boréale (French)