Potassium, phosphorus, or nitrogen limit root allocation, tree growth, or litter production in a lowland tropical forest
We maintained a factorial nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) addition experiment for 11 years in a humid lowland forest growing on a relatively fertile soil in Panama to evaluate potential nutrient limitation of tree growth rates, fineâlitter production, and fineâroot biomass. We re...
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Published in | Ecology (Durham) Vol. 92; no. 8; pp. 1616 - 1625 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
Ecological Society of America
01.08.2011
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get more information |
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Summary: | We maintained a factorial nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) addition experiment for 11 years in a humid lowland forest growing on a relatively fertile soil in Panama to evaluate potential nutrient limitation of tree growth rates, fineâlitter production, and fineâroot biomass. We replicated the eight factorial treatments four times using 32 plots of 40 Ã 40 m each. The addition of K was associated with significant decreases in standâlevel fineâroot biomass and, in a companion study of seedlings, decreases in allocation to roots and increases in height growth rates. The addition of K and N together was associated with significant increases in growth rates of saplings and poles (1â10 cm in diameter at breast height) and a further marginally significant decrease in standâlevel fineâroot biomass. The addition of P was associated with a marginally significant (P = 0.058) increase in fineâlitter production that was consistent across all litter fractions. Our experiment provides evidence that N, P, and K all limit forest plants growing on a relatively fertile soil in the lowland tropics, with the strongest evidence for limitation by K among seedlings, saplings, and poles. |
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Bibliography: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/10-1558.1 |
ISSN: | 0012-9658 1939-9170 |
DOI: | 10.1890/10-1558.1 |