University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1965 Mineral relationships of western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) as compared with lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Loudon var. latifolia Engelm.) William Friedrich The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Friedrich, William, "Mineral relationships of western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) as compared with lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Loudon var. latifolia Engelm.)" (1965). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 6754. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/6754 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MINERAL RELATIONSHIPS OF WESTERN LARCH (LARIX OCCIDENTALIS NUTT.) AS COMPARED WITH LODGEPOLE PINE CPINUS CONTORTA LOUDON VAR, LATIFOLIA ENGELM.) by William Friedrich A. B. The Catholic University of America, 1962 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1965 Approved by; an^Board of Examiners "7 Dean, Graduate School JUL 2 2 1965 Date Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: EP37555 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI OuuwrMion Publishing UMI EP37555 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQ^st; ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to the Department of Botany of the University of Montana for the use of its research facilities and to Dr. Mark J, Behan of that department for his guidance and direction throughout this work. I am indebted to Raymond Shearer of the Intermountain Forest and Range experiment Station for permission and guidance in using the Coram Experimental Forest of the Flathead National Forest, Montana, I am also indebted to the University of Montana Computer Center for the use of its facilities and to Anton Kraft of that department who directed and programmed the computer work. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION.......................... I Ob jectiv es ....................... » . 7 Literature Review ...««.eoooo.. 8 Seasonal Variation 9 Problems in method of expression . , . 9 Studies of seasonal trends in mineral content on a percentage basis « * » o 12 Variation and fluctuation of the mineral content with season ......... 15 Effect of Crown Position on the Mineral Content of Foliage . « ........ 15 Studies of the position variation , . , 15 Allowance for the position effect in other foliar analysis studies » o o « 17 Effect of Needle Age on the Mineral Content of Evergreen Foliage ........... 18 Summary and Discussion of Literature Review .......oo«o=.*ooo 19 11. METHODS .......... 28 Site Description ........ 28 Collection Methods . ............ 30 Sample Preparation ............. 32 Element Determination ........... 33 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. i v CHAPTER PAGE Methods of Statistical Analysis . » . 33 Methods of Computer Use . « 0 0 * 0 . 34 III. RESULTS ............................. 37 Introduction .......... 37 Western Larch Foliar Mineral Content .... 40 Effect of Season on Foliar Mineral Content ................ 40 Effect of Crown Position on Foliar Mineral Content ......... ....... 43 Lodgepole Pine Foliar Mineral Content . 43 Effect of Season on Foliar Mineral Content ........ 43 Effect of Crown Position on Foliar Mineral Content ............ 47 Effect of Age on Foliar Mineral Content „ 50 Comparisons and Estimates of Mineral Requirements ............... 54 Amounts and Mineral Contents of Total Foliage on the Trees .......... 54 Quantity and Mineral Content of Needle Litter 56 Needle litter of western larch ..... 56 Needle litter of lodgepole pine .... 61 Amounts of minerals returned to the soil annually by comparable forests . 61 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. V CHAPTER PAGE IV. DISCUSSION .................................... 63 Statistical Appraisal of Seasonal Variation in Mineral Content of Larch Poliaks ......«..«o...... 63 Seasonal Trend During the Growing Season , . 63 Sampling Procedures ..................... 68 Suggested Time of Sampling of Larch . 68 Suggested Time of Sampling of Lodgepole „ 69 Suggested Larch Crown Position for Sampling .................... ...... 69 Suggested Lodgepole Pine Crown Position and Needle Age for Sampling ...... 70 Determination of Sample Size ....... 71 Comparisons of Mineral Relationships .... 74 Discussion of Quantities and Mineral Contents of Midsummer Foliage ..... 74 Discussion of Quantities and Mineral Contents of Litter ........... 75 Concluding Remarks on Mineral Relationships ............. 75 V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY ........... 77 Season 77 Position .......................... a . ......................... 77 Age .................... 78 Sampling Procedures ............ 78 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Vi CHAPTER PAGE Comparisons of Mineral Relationships .... 79 LITERATURE C I T E D ......................................... 80 APPENDIX I. Chemical Methods of Analysis » ........... 86 APPENDIX II. Tables of Statistical Analyses .... 97 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Variation in Foliar Mineral Content of Forest Trees *#*#**»****««»** 20 2, Collection Methods Used in Foliar Analysis Studies of Forest Trees ....................... 22 3, Stand Characteristics of Study P l o t ............ 29 4. Mineral Content of Foliage from Different Crown Positions of Larch, and Its Within Element and Within Position Variation , , , , 45 5. Mineral Content of Averaged 1964 and 1963 Foliage from Different Crown Positions of Lodgepole Pine, and Its Within Element and Within Position Variation .................... 48 6, Mineral Content of Differently Aged Lodge­ pole Pine Needles, and Its Within Element and Within Age Variation . ........... 52 7. Mineral Content of Differently Aged Needles from Different Crown Positions of Lodgepole Pine, and Its Within Element and Within Age Variation .............. 53 8, P and Ca Contents of Larch Foliage and Needle Litter Collected at Different Times of Yea r ............. 58 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Viii TABLE PAGE 9, Nitrogen Content of Larch Foliage Collected on Different Dates ••.oooeoooeo» 64 10, Percent Content of Litter of Western Larch , . 67 11, Variability Between Trees (Variances) for Foliar Mineral Content of Larch and Lodgepole P i n e ............................ 72 12, Sample Size Required to Measure Mineral Content of Larch and Lodgepole Pine Foliage with a 95% Confidence Limit of + 0 . 1 % 73 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Seasonal Trends in Mineral Content of Spruce and Pine Foliage . .................... 14 2. Seasonal Trends in Mineral Content of Larch Foliage •....«•oo.o.o........... 41 3. Mineral Content of Foliage from Different Crown Positions of Larch 44 4. Seasonal Trend in Potassium Content of Lodgepole Pine Foliage 46 5. Mineral Content of Foliage from Different Crown Positions of Lodgepole Pine « . » o • 49 6. Mineral Content of Differently Aged Lodge­ pole Pine Needles ............................... 51 7. Amounts of Midsummer Foliage and Contents on a Comparable Larch and Lodgepole Pine ^^ree 53 8. Amounts of Needle Litter and Contents from an Average Tree and Returned to the Soil Annually by Young Larch and Lodgepole Pine Forests ODeoo»«ooooooA«ooo 60 9. Amounts of Minerals Returned to the Soil Annually by Forest Tree Leaves , . , . » . 62 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I. INTRODUCTION During the past several decades this country has witnessed a tremendous increase in population, standard of living, industrial expansion, and a concommitant increase in demand for basic materials such as wood and wood products. This increased demand for forest products has caused a yearly increase in timber harvest in almost all of the timber producing states, including Montana, The area de­ voted to timber production, in spite of increasing demands for wood