Phosphorus limitation of early growth differs between nitrogen-fixing and nonfixing dry tropical forest tree species.

ABSTRACT: Tropical forests are often characterized by low soil phosphorus (P) availability, suggesting that P limits plant performance. However, how seedlings from different functional types respond to soil P availability is poorly known but important for understanding and modeling forest dynamics under changing environmental conditions. We grew four nitrogen (N)-fixing Fabaceae and seven diverse non-N-fixing tropical dry forest tree species in a shade house under three P fertilization treatments and evaluated carbon (C) allocation responses, P demand, P-use, investment in P acquisition traits, and correlations among P acquisition traits. Nitrogen fixers grew larger with increasing P addition in contrast to non-N fixers, which showed fewer responses in C allocation and P use. Foliar P increased with

SUBMITTER: Toro L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10107181 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature