Seasonal Nutrient Dynamics of Solidago altissima (Compositae)

ABRAHAMSON, W. G. AND K. D. MCCREA (Dept. Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837). Seasonal nutrient dynamics of Solidago altissima (Compositae). Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 112:414-420, 1985.-The pattern of biomass distribution, and the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg were determined by standard methods in goldenrod ramets throughout the annual growing-dormancy cycle. In spring, N, P, K, and Mg were translocated to new rhizomes over a month before ramets emerged and, with the exception of Mg, the concentrations of these elements rapidly declined in above-ground organs after ramet emergence. Although there was a continuous uptake of all five elements from soil reserves during the growing season, there was little autumn retranslocation of nutrients from above-ground to below-ground organs. The mineral element allocation patterns were stable during the growing season except for the principal trade-off between the major sinks of leaves and inflorescences for N, P, K, and Mg and between stems and inflorescences for Ca. The data show that S. altissima is efficient in its use of nutrients, thus reducing the amounts of nutrients required from soil reserves. This, in part, may explain the broad site tolerance of tall goldenrod.