Nodulation dynamics and nodule activity in leguminous tree species of a Mexican tropical dry forest

González-Ruiz, Teresa; Jaramillo, Vı́ctor J.; Cabriales, Juan José Peña; Flores, Arturo

doi:10.1017/s0266467407004634

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…This translated into a synchrony between nodulation and soil moisture in the dry forests of Chamela, Mexico (González-Ruiz et al 2008). In our study, nodulation was most active during the wet season and tended to disappear during the dry season (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The influence of seasonality and species effects on surface fine roots and nodulation in tropical legume tree plantations

Gei

Powers

2014

Plant Soil

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Background Fine roots comprise a dynamic carbon pool in forests. Legumes, widespread in the tropics, have a specialized strategy of nitrogen acquisition. However, the belowground dynamics of this group are poorly understood. Scope We studied the seasonal and spatial variation in surface fine root mass (FRM) and nodulation over 2 years in plantations of four legume species (Dalbergia retusa, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Gliricidia sepium, Leptolobium panamense) in a dry forest in Costa Rica. We measured soil moisture, FRM, and nodule mass at 2 soil depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm) and at 2 distances from the tree bole (1 and 2 m). Mean FRM per species ranged from 10 to 17 g m −2 during the dry season to 86-116 g m −2 the following wet season. Species differed in belowground foraging strategies: G. sepium and L. panamense had~41 % more roots in the surface layer, but in D. retusa plantations, 44.3 % more roots were in the deeper layer. In G. sepium and L. panamense, nodulation fluctuated seasonally, while the other species did not nodulate. Conclusions FRM varied in synchrony with rainfall and responded to interannual precipitation anomalies. Thus, FRM is a sensitive component of the forest carbon pool, vulnerable to shifts in species composition and climate regimes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The influence of seasonality and species effects on surface fine roots and nodulation in tropical legume tree plantations

Gei

Powers

2014

Plant Soil

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“…The major process that could control N pools and N cycling in these soils are symbiotic N fixation, dry deposition, and N mineralization (West & Skujinsˇ1978;Chapin, Matson & Mooney 2002). This fact is more noticeable in tropical ecosystems where legume species have a high relative abundance (Vitousek & Sanford 1986;Sprent et al 1996;Castellanos et al 2001;Altamirano-Her-na´ndez et al 2004;Gonza´lez-Ruiz et al 2008). However, it is possible that C mineralization and N immobilization in microbial biomass could contribute to retaining part of the N in the soil, as has been observed in other ecosystems (Vitousek & Matson 1984;Fisher & Binkley 2000;Vitousek et al 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon‐nitrogen interactions in fertility island soil from a tropical semi‐arid ecosystem

2010

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Summary1. Biological nitrogen (N) fixation by symbiotic and free-living organisms is considered the main pathway for N soil enrichment in desert and semi-desert ecosystems. This fact is more noticeable in tropical ecosystems where legume species have a high relative abundance. However, this biological fixation pathway does not guarantee the maintenance of soil N pools, and N conservation pathways are important in understanding controls over soil N cycling. 2. In dryland ecosystems, desert plants can form a 'fertility island' (FI) as soils beneath plants show higher concentrations of N and organic matter. 3. Here we assess how carbon (C) and N may interact to conserve soil N within the FI soil of two legume species (Prosopis laevigata and Parkinsonia praecox), one a known N-fixer and the other believed not to fix N, as well as within adjacent bare ground soil. In a semi-arid tropical ecosystem in central Mexico, we examined spatial patterns in C and N pools and transformation rates, and we investigated seasonal variations in these relationships. 4. Results show that FI soil C and N could be linked to total N storage through net C and N immobilization in microbial biomass and heterotrophic microbial activity. Soil under P. laevigata canopy had greater total N as well as N accumulated in microbial biomass than soil under P. praecox and bare ground soil. Nevertheless, inorganic N and potential net N mineralization rates were similar under soils of both species, although we expected higher inorganic N and N-mineralization values in N-fixer species to explain the greater total N. Higher total N concentrations under P. laevigata probably result from greater inputs of organic C and a higher potential net C mineralization rate in comparison to P. praecox and bare ground soil. 5. Even though N input and output values were not measured, the results highlight the importance of assessing the role of organic C, heterotrophic microbial activity, and N storage in microbial biomass in order to understand controls over N retention in soil N cycling. Thus, soil C-N interactions could be a control factor of N soil conservation in this tropical semi-arid ecosystem.

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“…Lysiloma microphyllum Benth. (Fabaceae-Mimosoideae) is a deciduous tree that grows up to 15 m and is associated with N nodulation-fixation (González-Ruiz et al 2008). The flowering and fruiting seasons occur from July until the end of November; the tree forms dehiscent legumes with barochoric seeds (mean 0.04 ± 0.001 g per seed) that are dispersed in the dry season.…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2012) and functioning (Cárdenas & Campo 2007, González-Ruiz et al . 2008) of Mexican semi-arid TDF. However, for many leguminous species, which are diverse in TDF, the specific impacts of these factors on their early demographic stages remain unclear (Vargas et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Central Mexico, semi-arid TDF occurs in the Bajio region (Rzedowski & Calderón 1987), where differences in soil water conditions and radiation levels have been observed among contrasting topographic aspects (Labat 1987). During TDF succession, this physical variation could be relevant in the processes of germination, seedling establishment and survival of trees (Labat 1995), such as Lysiloma microphyllum, a keystone legume species in the structure (Arriaga & León 1989, León de la Luz et al 2012 and functioning (Cárdenas & Campo 2007, González-Ruiz et al 2008 of Mexican semi-arid TDF. However, for many leguminous species, which are diverse in TDF, the specific impacts of these factors on their early demographic stages remain unclear (Vargas et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Early establishment and survival of the neotropical dry deciduous forest treeLysiloma microphyllumfrom mountainous Bajio Queretano, Mexico

Hernández-Oria

Hawkins²,

Tostado

et al. 2017

J. Trop. Ecol.

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Abstract:The tropical dry deciduous forest (TDF) of the semi-arid region of Bajio in Mexico is dominated by successional communities, in whichLysiloma microphyllumis irregularly distributed, however the environmental factors influencing its establishment have been poorly studied. We conducted field experiments to isolate the impact of three factors on the early life-history stages of this tree. Over a 2-y period, we monitored the effects of (1) predation, (2) understorey light and (3) aspect on germination, seed-to-seedling transition (establishment) and seedling survival, and we found that open space negatively affected germination (14.9 ± 1.5% vs 96 ± 1.5% in shade; mean ± SE), while shade increased seedling establishment and survival (36.9 ± 8.2% vs 4.7 ± 3.8% in open sites). Predation decreased survival and was strongest in open conditions (0 vs 62.7 ± 9.4% in shaded exclosures). In contrast, aspect had little influence on germination and survival. The results suggest that shaded microsites positively affect the early life stages ofL. microphyllum, a key process in TDF recovery.

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Nodulation dynamics and nodule activity in leguminous tree species of a Mexican tropical dry forest

Cited by 12 publications

References 29 publications

The influence of seasonality and species effects on surface fine roots and nodulation in tropical legume tree plantations

The influence of seasonality and species effects on surface fine roots and nodulation in tropical legume tree plantations

Carbon‐nitrogen interactions in fertility island soil from a tropical semi‐arid ecosystem

Early establishment and survival of the neotropical dry deciduous forest treeLysiloma microphyllumfrom mountainous Bajio Queretano, Mexico

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