Unraveling the ecosystem functions in the Amazonia–Cerrado transition: evidence of hyperdynamic nutrient cycling

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Bianca de Oliveira ; Ben Hur Marimon Junior ; Henrique A. Mews…
• 关键词：Nutrient cycling ; Leaf litter ; Cerrado ; Ecosystem functions ; Hyperdynamic
• 刊名：Plant Ecology
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：February 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：218
• 期：2
• 页码：225-239
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Biomedical and Life Sciences
• 刊物主题：Ecology; Plant Ecology; Community & Population Ecology; Terrestial Ecology; Applied Ecology; Biodiversity;
• 出版者：Springer Netherlands
• ISSN：1573-5052
• 卷排序：218

文摘

The contact between savanna and forest in the Amazonia–Cerrado transition zone is characterized by the hyperdynamics of the vegetation (recruitment vs. mortality). However, the related nutrient dynamics under these conditions are not well understood. We determined for the first time the biogeochemical cycles of the vegetation in the zone of transition estimating the litterfall, nutrient input, decomposition rates, and nutrient release in cerradão and cerrado plots. We examine the hypothesis that nutrient cycling is strongly associated with the vegetation dynamics. The litterfall was sampled in 30 traps placed within 1-ha vegetation plots for 2 years. The release of nutrients from the litterfall back to the soil was also estimated using decomposition bags in the two areas. The decomposition rates did not vary between areas, although in the cerradão the input of total biomass (9.27 Mg ha−1 year−1) and total nutrients (219.17 kg ha−1 year−1), the decomposition of the total biomass, and the cycling of most nutrients through litterfall and decomposition were at least twice higher than in the cerrado. These results confirmed the hypothesis concerning the differences between vegetation types in nutrient cycling, suggesting for the first time that the hyperdynamics observed in both vegetations were also reflected in the biogeochemical cycle, particularly in the cerradão. Thus, it is likely that the rapid and effective cycling of nutrients observed in the cerradão might be a key condition guaranteeing the ability of the cerradão to colonize new areas previously occupied by the typical cerrado.