CONTENTS OF NUTRIENTS AND HEAVY-METALS IN THE NEEDLES OF NORWAY SPRUCE AND SILVER FIR OF A MIXED MOUNTAIN FOREST IN THE FLYSCH ZONE (TEGERNSEE MOUNTAINS)

Elemental analyses were carried out on needles of 95 years old silver fir and Norway spruce from a small forested watershed in the Flysch zo ne of the Bavarian Alps. Both species are characterized by N deficienc y and poor supply with phosphorus. In addition the Norway spruce suffe rs from Mg deficiency. On the other hand they show sufficient to optim um contents of micronutrients. The nutrition imbalances are due to loc al soil properties. Water logging and aquatic conditions of the clayey soils probably lead to gaseous losses of nitrogen and to lower root a ctivities in addition to low soil temperatures at higher altitude. Pre cipitation or sorption of phosphorus occurs probably due to high Ca co ntents in the soil solution and, again, to the hydromorphic properties of the soils. In contrast to silver fir Norway spruce is apparently n ot able to use higher Mg stocks in the subsoil horizons because of low depth rooting. With the exception of nickel the trees show low pollut ion with heavy metals due to low deposition rates and low contents in the soils.