Comparative growth behaviour and leaf nutrient status of native trees planted on mine spoil with and without nutrient amendment

The effect of nutrient amendment on growth of nine indigenous tree species planted on coal mine spoil was studied. Greater growth in fertilized plots was accompanied by greater foliar hi and P concentrations in all species. T he response to fertilization varied among species and was greater in non-le guminous than in leguminous species. Furthermore, leguminous species exhibi ted higher growth rates compared to non-leguminous species. The log. transf ormed height-diameter relationships were significant for all tree species a nd treatments. Acacia catechu, Dalbergia sissoo, Gmelina arborea and Azadir achta indica fitted the elastic similarity model of tree growth; whereas Po ngamia pinnata and Phyllanthus emblica followed the constant stress model. Tectona grandis was the only species which fitted the geometric similarity model. In Albizia lebbeck and Terminalia bellirica, the b-values (the gradi ents of the log-transformed height to diameter relationships) were consider ably lower (<0.5); and these two species did not fit any model of tree grow th. In several cases, the b-values were considerably influenced by nutrient amendment. The log-transformed crown mass and trunk mass relationships wer e significant for all treatments and species. The slope of the crown mass:t runk mass relationship was near unity in A. indica, D. sissoo, G. arborea, P. emblica, P. pinnata, T. grandis, and T. bellirica. However, in A. catech u and A. lebbeck, this slope was well below unity suggesting a greater allo cation to non-photosynthetic tissue. Fertilizer amendment resulted in a hea vier crown relative to trunk in A. indica, T. grandis and T, bellirica. (C) 2001 Annals of Botany Company.