Soil heavy metal uptake and distribution in silver birch plantations on former agricultural land.

Authors

Marju Kaivapalu-Kaasik, Katri Ots, Reimo Lutter, Arvo Tullus, Tea Tullus, Reeno Sopp, Hardi Tullus

Published in

Environmental monitoring and assessment. Volume 198. Issue 8. Jul 25, 2026. Epub Jul 25, 2026.

Abstract

Afforestation of former agricultural land with silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) is increasingly promoted in Northern and Eastern Europe, yet its long-term effects on soil-plant heavy metal dynamics remain insufficiently understood. We assessed heavy metal accumulation in soil and woody biomass (stemwood and bark) 20 years after afforestation of former agricultural land at 11 plantations. Eleven elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were initially determined, but subsequent analyses focused on five elements (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) consistently detected above the limit of quantification. Metal allocation between stemwood and bark and the influence of soil physicochemical properties (pH, P, K, C_org, N_tot, bulk density and available water content) were analyzed. We also examined relationships between soil metal concentrations, tree growth, and the distribution of metals between stemwood formed at early-age (1-10 years) and late-age (11-23 years). Heavy metal accumulation was primarily governed by soil properties, with pH, P, and K showing important relationships with bioaccumulation patterns, while the role of C_org varied among elements and substrates. No statistically significant evidence was found that elevated soil metal concentrations inhibited tree growth. Within stems, metal concentrations varied with wood age, with higher levels observed in early-age wood. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of soil properties in shaping heavy metal dynamics in birch plantations and provide insight into long-term trace metal allocation in forest ecosystems established on former agricultural soils, supporting sustainable afforestation and the evaluation of woody biomass for potential bioenergy use.

PMID:
42498846
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 25 Jul 2026.

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