Leaf and soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability in a neotropical rain forest of nutrient-rich soil

The nitrogen and phosphorus supply in a lowland rain forest with a nutrient-rich soil was investigated by means of the leaf N/P quotient. It was hypothesised a high N and P supply to the forest ecosystem with a N and P rich soil. Total N and extractable P were determined in the surface (10 cm) soil...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor: Martínez-Sánchez, José Luis
Tipo de documento: artigo
Estado:Versão publicada
Data de publicação:2006
País:Costa Rica
Recursos:Universidad de Costa Rica
Repositório:Portal de Revistas UCR
Idioma:espanhol
OAI Identifier:oai:portal.ucr.ac.cr:article/13875
Acesso em linha:https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/13875
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:cociente N/P
hojas seniles
Los Tuxtlas
México
selva húmeda tropical
Descrição
Resumo:The nitrogen and phosphorus supply in a lowland rain forest with a nutrient-rich soil was investigated by means of the leaf N/P quotient. It was hypothesised a high N and P supply to the forest ecosystem with a N and P rich soil. Total N and extractable P were determined in the surface (10 cm) soil of three plots of the forest. Total N was analysed by the Kjeldahl method, and P was extracted with HCl and NH4F. The leaf N/P quotient was evaluated from the senesced leaves of 11 dominant tree species from the mature forest. Samples of 5 g of freshly fallen leaves were collected from three trees of each species. Nitrogen was analysed by microkjeldahl digestion with sulphuric acid and distilled with boric acid, and phosphorus was analysed by digestion with nitric acid and perchloric acid, and determined by photometry. Concentrations of total N (0.50%, n = 30) and extract-able P (4.11 μg g-1, n = 30) in the soil were high. As expected, P supply was sufficient, but contrary to expected, N supply was low (N/P = 11.8, n = 11).