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Arboriculture & Urban Forestry Online
Volume 12, Issue 1 — January 1986
https://www.isa-arbor.com/Publications/Arboriculture-Urban-Forestry

Declined Urban Sugar Maples: Growth Patterns, Nutritional Status and Site Factors    (View PDF)

S. M. Dyer and D. L. Mader

Abstract: Adverse soil conditions are suspected as potential causes of declined sugar maples (Acer saccharum). Poor availability or imbalances of nutrients, possibly in conjunction with unfavorable physical conditions, are likely causes of poor crown condition and dieback associated with urban sugar maples. This study examined soil and foliar nutrient status in relation to the urban sugar maple growth pattern and decline symptoms. Forty mature sugar maples (44 to 106 cm diameter at a height of 1.37 m) were sampled along roads and in yards in the Amherst/Northampton, Massachusetts area. Trees were chosen from the following categories: 1) yard, non-declined; 2) road, moderately declined; 3) road, severely declined; and 4) road, non-declined. Soil and foliage samples were analyzed for physical and chemical properties by standard methods. Ring measurements on increment cores were used to determine relations between current and past growth rates for declined classes. Severely declined trees exhibited significantly reduced growth and less annual fluctuation than other categories dating back to the early 1970's period just following the severe drought of the mid 1960's. Relative measures of ring growth provided stronger statistical differences between classes than did absolute values. The results of soil and foliar analyses for each group were statistically evaluated by means of one-way analysis of variance and discriminant analysis to identify those soil and/or foliar properties most closely related to decline classes and growth rates. The analyses indicated that certain soil and foliar properties are related to the decline of the maple trees studied and that foliar analysis is a useful indicator of soil problems. These properties are the lack of or poor availability of nitrogen; higher soil bulk density; lower sand content; elevated soil and foliar Na levels and low concentrations of foliar N, Ca, Mg, and K. The interaction of these properties was associated with reduced growth and accompanying decline of roadside sugar maples.

Keywords: Drought; Maple Decline; Soil and Foliar Analysis; Sugar Maple; Tree Growth; Urban Trees

https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.1986.002


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