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Litter removal in a tropical rain forest reduces fine root biomass and production but litter addition has few effects.

cam.issuedOnline2018-01-16
dc.contributor.authorRodtassana, C
dc.contributor.authorTanner, EVJ
dc.contributor.orcidTanner, Edmund [0000-0002-4961-9993]
dc.date.accessioned2018-11-01T14:03:30Z
dc.date.available2018-11-01T14:03:30Z
dc.date.issued2018-03
dc.description.abstractMany old-growth lowland tropical rain forests are potentially nutrient limited, and it has long been thought that many such forests maintain growth by recycling nutrients from decomposing litter. We investigated this by continuously removing (for 10 yr) freshly fallen litter from five (45 m × 45 m) plots, adding it to five other plots, there were five controls. From monthly measures over 1 yr we show that litter removal caused lower: fine root (≤2 mm diameter) standing mass, fine root standing length, fine root length production and fine root length survivorship. Litter addition did not significantly change fine root mass or length or production. Nutrient concentrations in fine roots in litter removal plots were lower than those in controls for nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), concentrations in fine roots in litter addition plots were higher for N and Ca. Chronic litter removal has resulted in reduced forest growth due to lack of nutrients, probably nitrogen. Conversely, long-term litter addition has had fewer effects.
dc.identifier.doi10.17863/CAM.31895
dc.identifier.eissn1939-9170
dc.identifier.issn0012-9658
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/284520
dc.languageeng
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherWiley
dc.publisher.urlhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2143
dc.subjectPanama
dc.subjectfine root dynamics
dc.subjectlitter-addition
dc.subjectlitter-removal
dc.subjectlitterfall
dc.subjectnitrogen
dc.subjecttropical forest
dc.subjectBiomass
dc.subjectForests
dc.subjectNitrogen
dc.subjectPlant Roots
dc.subjectRainforest
dc.subjectSoil
dc.subjectTrees
dc.subjectTropical Climate
dc.titleLitter removal in a tropical rain forest reduces fine root biomass and production but litter addition has few effects.
dc.typeArticle
dcterms.dateAccepted2017-12-06
prism.endingPage742
prism.issueIdentifier3
prism.publicationDate2018
prism.publicationNameEcology
prism.startingPage735
prism.volume99
rioxxterms.licenseref.startdate2018-03
rioxxterms.licenseref.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Review
rioxxterms.versionAM
rioxxterms.versionofrecord10.1002/ecy.2143

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