Long-Term Effects of Liming on Health and Growth of a Masson Pine Stand Damaged by Soil Acidification in Chongqing, China

摘要: In the last decades, Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) forests in Chongqing, southwest China, have increasingly declined. Soil acidification was believed to be an important cause. Liming is widely used as a measure alleviate soil and its damage trees, but little known about long-term effects of liming on health growth declining forests. chemical properties, condition (defoliation discoloration), were evaluated following application limestone powder (0 (unlimed control), 1, 2, 3, 4 t ha−1) acidified stand at Tieshanping (TSP) Chongqing. Eight years after liming, 0–20 cm 20–40 mineral layers, pH values, exchangeable calcium (Ca) contents, Ca/Al molar ratios increased, aluminum (Al) levels decreased, result, length densities living fine roots with increasing dose. Mean crown defoliation pines (dominant, codominant subdominant pines, according Kraft classes 1–3) decreased dose, it linearly roots. However, (Kraft all treatments showed no symptoms discoloration. current-year twig length, dry weight, needle number per twig, weight increased Over 8 years, mean height increment from 5.5 m control 5.8, 6.9, 8.3, 9.5 ha−1 lime treatments, their DBH (diameter breast height) 3.1 3.2, 3.8, 4.9, 6.2 cm, respectively. The values aboveground parameters Our results show that improved tree growth, these