Foliar metabolism and physiology of tulip poplar, black cherry, and sugar maple growing in three different soil series, each with different taxonomic characteristics and chemistry, in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA

The purpose of this study was to compare the foliar metabolism and physiology of tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) growing in three soil series, with different taxonomic characteristics and chemistry, all from sites located within the Desert Branch Watershed in the Monongahela National Forest (MNF), West Virginia, USA. In the growing season of 2003, soil samples were collected from nine sites in the Desert Branch Watershed in the MNF. At each site, a soil pit was hand excavated to various depths, and samples of O, and two to four distinct layers from the A, B and C horizons (where found) were collected. Samples were analyzed separately. Data include soil taxonomy characteristics, extrapolated bulk density, soil pH, % organic matter, total nitrogen (N) and carbon (C), exchangeable elements, exchangeable acidity, effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), and plant available calcium (Ca) and aluminum (Al) extracted in strontium chloride (SrCl₂) all determined by pH meter, C/N Combustion Elemental Analyzer, potentiometric titration and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP-OES). Within the same time frame, foliage from 10 randomly chosen tulip poplar (TP), black cherry (BC), and sugar maple (SM) was collected from the same nine sites (two of the nine sites were less than 150 feet apart and were considered to be the same for foliar sampling but separate for soil) in an area central to where corresponding soils had previously been sampled. Data include free polyamines, free amino acids, soluble ions, chlorophyll, soluble protein, total N and total elements analyzed by HPLC, ICP-OES, spectrophotometer, and a C/N Combustion Elemental Analyzer.The purpose of this study was to compare foliar metabolism and physiology of tulip poplar, black cherry and sugar maple growing in three different soil series within the Desert Branch Watershed in the Monongahela National Forest, WV.