Nutrient additions affecting matter turnover in forest and pasture ecosystems

Hamer, Ute; Potthast, Karin; Wilcke, Wolfgang; Wullaert, Hans; Valarezo, Carlos; Sandmann, Dorothee; Scheu, Stefan; Homeier, Jürgen (2013). Nutrient additions affecting matter turnover in forest and pasture ecosystems. In: Bendix, J.; Beck, E.; Bräuning, A.; Makeschin, F.; Mosandl, R.; Scheu, S.; Wilcke, Wolfgang (eds.) Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity and Environmental Change in a Tropical Mountain Ecosystem of South Ecuador. Ecological Studies: Vol. 221 (pp. 297-313). Heidelberg: Springer 10.1007/978-3-642-38137-9_22

Text chp%3A10.1007%2F978-3-642-38137-9_22.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (477kB)

Nutrient inputs into ecosystems of the tropical mountain rainforest region are projected to further increase in the next decades. To investigate whether important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and matter turnover in native forests and pasture ecosystems show different patterns of response, two nutrient addition experiments have been established: NUMEX in the forest and FERPAST at the pasture. Both ecosystems already responded 1.5 years after the start of nutrient application (N, P, NP, Ca). Interestingly, most nutrients remained in the respective systems. While the pasture grass was co-limited by N and P, most tree species responded to P addition. Soil microbial biomass in the forest litter layer increased after NP fertilization pointing to nutrient co-limitation. In pasture soils, microorganisms were neither limited by N nor P. The results support the hypothesis that multiple and temporally variable nutrient limitations can coexist in tropical ecosystems.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

1 since deposited on 08 Aug 2014
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item