Abstract• Primary forests in the seasonally dry tropical regions of Mexico are disappearing under land-use pressure, creating a mosaic of secondary forests of different ages.• In this study we measured the aboveground litterfall phosphorus (P) fluxes, litter-layer and soil P pools to compare the P cycles in primary and secondary seasonally dry tropical forests. Our hypothesis was that the previous agricultural land use of secondary forests would bring about a lower P flux in the litterfall, lower soil P pool, and higher nutrient resorption proficiency than in primary forests, as well as an increase of relative amounts of available P provided by the soil with forest aging.• The expected litterfall P flux increase in the secondary forest following a previous agricultural land use did not occur. Phosphorus return to the soil by aboveground litterfall was unaffected by the succession stage of the forest. In addition, the total soil P pool did not change with forest age. However, available soil P (bicarbonate P-inorganic and P-organic pools) and hydroxide inorganic P pools were higher in primary than in secondary forest soils. Phosphorus concentration in litterfall increased significantly with forest age, suggesting that P is cycled more efficiently (by a higher nutrient resorption proficiency) when soil available P is less abundant. Despite these differences among forests, the results of our study gave evidence that P requirements by plants in primary and secondary forests are sufficiently met by the accumulation of dissolved (water extractable) P in the forest floor during the dry season and by soil bicarbonate-P pools.• Our study on the effects of land cover change on P cycling, following the discontinuation of agricultural practices, leads to the conclusion that this ecosystem P dynamics will vary depending on the successional stage of the forests, and is strongly influenced by the seasonal rainfall pattern which determines plant-available P. Mots-clés :litière / succession secondaire / disponibilité du phosphore / sols tropicaux Résumé -Cycle du phosphore dans les forêts primaires et secondaires tropicales à saison sèche du Mexique.• Les forêts primaires dans les régions tropicales à saison sèche du Mexique sont en train de disparaître sous la pression de l'utilisation agricole des terres, créant une mosaïque de forêts secondaires d'âges différents.• Dans cette étude, nous avons mesuré les flux de phosphore (P) de la litière au-dessus du sol, de l'horizon de litière et les pools de phosphore P du sol, pour comparer les cycles de P dans les forêts primaires et secondaires tropicales à saison sèche. Notre hypothèse est que l'exploitation agricole précédente des forêts secondaires devrait aboutir à un flux plus faible de P dans la litière, à un plus faible pool de P du sol, et à une résorption plus élevée des éléments nutritifs que dans les forêts primaires, ainsi qu'une augmentation des quantités relatives de P disponibles fournies par le sol avec le vieillissement de la forêt.• L'accroissement attendu du flux de ...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.