12,271 μg g
À1 , respectively, and those of trace elements (Fe, Si, Ti, Ba, Sr, Mn, Cu,
Zn, and Pb) were between 25 and 450 μg g
À1 . Two-way ANOVA showed that the
main factor contributing to data dispersion was the repeatability (S
2
rr ) of the analytical results for the solutions, which depends on instrumentation. For both types of
inductively coupled plasma analysis, the greatest dispersion was for V (53%) and the
least was for Ti (5.9%).
The concentrations of major and minor elements in sclerotia grains are presented
in Table 11.3 and Figs. 11.3 and 11.4. In our study, the content of major elements
such as Al, Fe, and Ca in soil samples from both Mongolia and Japan ranged from
8380 to 66,333 ppm (Table 11.3). The concentrations of Al, Fe, and Ca in sclerotia
grains from Japan were 13,330 μg g
À1 , 10,108 μg g
À1 , and 883.1 μg g
À1
, respectively (Table 11.3 and Fig. 11.3). In Mongolian sclerotia grains, the concentrations
of Al, Fe, and Ca were 1516 μg g
À1 , 5686 μg g
À1 , and 12,291 μg g
À1 , respectively
(Table 11.3 and Fig. 11.3). The concentration of Ca in sclerotia grains differed
significantly between Japan and Mongolia (Fig. 11.3). Vogt and Edmonds (1980)
and Vogt et al. (1981) studied the composition of major elements in sporocarps,
sclerotia, and mycelia from Spodosol forest areas (Seattle, WA) by the wet oxidation
method, and reported that the elemental contents of sclerotia were as follows: N,
0.97%; P, 0.15%; K, 0.11%; Na, 402 ppm; Mn, 62 ppm; Ca, 1631 ppm; Mg,
286 ppm; and Fe, 4153 ppm. Comparing the results reported by Vogt et al. with
our own, the contents of major elements such as Fe are similar to those of sclerotia
from Mongolia and the Ca content is similar to that of sclerotia from Japan. We
noted other similarities, for example, the contents of Mn and Mg were similar to
those of sclerotia from Japan and content of Na was similar to those of sclerotia from
both Japan and Mongolia (data not shown).
The mean content of the trace elements Cu, Pb, Zn, and As ranged from 8.66 to
103 ppm in all soil samples and from 3.99 to 280 μg g
À1 in all sclerotia grains from
both Mongolia and Japan (Table 11.3). The contents of Al, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As
did not differ between Mongolian and Japanese soils (Table 11.3). The mean
concentrations of Ca, Cu, and Zn were higher in Mongolian sclerotia, whereas the
concentrations of Al and Fe were higher in Japanese sclerotia (Figs. 11.3 and 11.4).
Our results indicate that Al was the predominant element in the ash of sclerotia
grains from low-pH soils from Japan, present as octahedral Al and as an Al-humus
complex; Fe was the second most dominant element. This leads us to hypothesize
that Al accumulation in sclerotia grains may play a role in reducing the quantity of
toxic exchangeable Al in the rhizosphere of forest soils. Soils of the Eurasian steppe,
such as Chernozems and Kastanozems, are generally rich in Ca, and humic acids
bond to Ca
2+ (Oba and Nagatsuka 1988). According to Oguma et al. (2015), the
humic acids in surface soil under forest vegetation are not as stable as those in soil
under grasslands.
200
K. Nyamsanjaa et al.
À1 , respectively, and those of trace elements (Fe, Si, Ti, Ba, Sr, Mn, Cu,
Zn, and Pb) were between 25 and 450 μg g
À1 . Two-way ANOVA showed that the
main factor contributing to data dispersion was the repeatability (S
2
rr ) of the analytical results for the solutions, which depends on instrumentation. For both types of
inductively coupled plasma analysis, the greatest dispersion was for V (53%) and the
least was for Ti (5.9%).
The concentrations of major and minor elements in sclerotia grains are presented
in Table 11.3 and Figs. 11.3 and 11.4. In our study, the content of major elements
such as Al, Fe, and Ca in soil samples from both Mongolia and Japan ranged from
8380 to 66,333 ppm (Table 11.3). The concentrations of Al, Fe, and Ca in sclerotia
grains from Japan were 13,330 μg g
À1 , 10,108 μg g
À1 , and 883.1 μg g
À1
, respectively (Table 11.3 and Fig. 11.3). In Mongolian sclerotia grains, the concentrations
of Al, Fe, and Ca were 1516 μg g
À1 , 5686 μg g
À1 , and 12,291 μg g
À1 , respectively
(Table 11.3 and Fig. 11.3). The concentration of Ca in sclerotia grains differed
significantly between Japan and Mongolia (Fig. 11.3). Vogt and Edmonds (1980)
and Vogt et al. (1981) studied the composition of major elements in sporocarps,
sclerotia, and mycelia from Spodosol forest areas (Seattle, WA) by the wet oxidation
method, and reported that the elemental contents of sclerotia were as follows: N,
0.97%; P, 0.15%; K, 0.11%; Na, 402 ppm; Mn, 62 ppm; Ca, 1631 ppm; Mg,
286 ppm; and Fe, 4153 ppm. Comparing the results reported by Vogt et al. with
our own, the contents of major elements such as Fe are similar to those of sclerotia
from Mongolia and the Ca content is similar to that of sclerotia from Japan. We
noted other similarities, for example, the contents of Mn and Mg were similar to
those of sclerotia from Japan and content of Na was similar to those of sclerotia from
both Japan and Mongolia (data not shown).
The mean content of the trace elements Cu, Pb, Zn, and As ranged from 8.66 to
103 ppm in all soil samples and from 3.99 to 280 μg g
À1 in all sclerotia grains from
both Mongolia and Japan (Table 11.3). The contents of Al, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As
did not differ between Mongolian and Japanese soils (Table 11.3). The mean
concentrations of Ca, Cu, and Zn were higher in Mongolian sclerotia, whereas the
concentrations of Al and Fe were higher in Japanese sclerotia (Figs. 11.3 and 11.4).
Our results indicate that Al was the predominant element in the ash of sclerotia
grains from low-pH soils from Japan, present as octahedral Al and as an Al-humus
complex; Fe was the second most dominant element. This leads us to hypothesize
that Al accumulation in sclerotia grains may play a role in reducing the quantity of
toxic exchangeable Al in the rhizosphere of forest soils. Soils of the Eurasian steppe,
such as Chernozems and Kastanozems, are generally rich in Ca, and humic acids
bond to Ca
2+ (Oba and Nagatsuka 1988). According to Oguma et al. (2015), the
humic acids in surface soil under forest vegetation are not as stable as those in soil
under grasslands.
200
K. Nyamsanjaa et al.