Effect of soil temperature on the water transport and carbon and nitrogen allocation in forest trees

Soil frost slows down tree growth

The topic of this study was to determine the effect of soil temperature on the vital functions and growth of trees. Low soil temperature decreased total shoot and root elongation in Scots pine and the net assimilation rate of needles in Norway spruce. Soil temperature also affected the starch content of needles that reached its peak at the lowest temperature of the growing season.

The timing of soil frost thawing significantly affected the vital functions and growth of Scots pine. When soil frost thawing was delayed by two weeks from the point when conditions of air temperature and light had turned favorable for growth, irreversible damage was observed in the seedlings.

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