SREL Reprint #2307

Boron tolerance and potential boron removal by bottomland tree seedlings

Kenneth W. McLeod and Thomas G. Ciravolo

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina, USA 29802

Abstract: Boron is present in many household, industrial, and municipal products and by-products. Uncontrolled release of boron-containing materials into wetland environments could cause toxicity in bottomland and swamp tree species. To test this hypothesis, boron was added to 10-liter pots containing seedlings of Betula nigra, Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora, Nyssa aquatica, Platanus occidentalis, Taxodium distichum, Quercus alba, Q. falcata var. pagodaefolia, Q. nigra, Q. michauxii, and Q. phellos at rates of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mg/L, and the seedlings grown for four months. Elemental leaf concentrations, growth, and biomass were determined. Boron concentration in leaves was linearly related to boron addition. The highest boron treatment significantly decreased growth for B. nigra, N. aquatica, P. occidentalis, and T. distichum. Platanus occidentalis had the highest boron recovery (23% at 4 mg/L), while T. distichum had the most consistent recovery (11-13%) over all treatments. Although leaf damage was severe in the oaks, there were no significant differences in growth parameters between the control and boron treatments. This is attributed to the determinate growth of the oaks and possibly the short duration of the study.

Keywords: boron, remediation, elemental concentration, biomass, Betula nigra, Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora, Nyssa aquatica, Platanus occidentalis, Taxodium distichum, Quercus alba, Quercus falcata var. pagodaefolia, Quercus nigra, Quercus michauxii, Quercus phellos

SREL Reprint #2307

McLeod, K.W. and T.G. Ciravolo. 1998. Boron tolerance and potential boron removal by bottomland tree seedlings. Wetlands 18:431-436.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).