Abstract
Seasonality in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentration in soil and shoots of five Brachystegia-Julbernardia (miombo) woodland trees was studied from September 1991 to March 1993 at two regrowth miombo sites in central Zambia. Shoot growth started in the dry season (September–November) and lasted until April during the 1991/92 season but had virtually ceased by January 1993 during the 1992/93 season. The shoot growing season was associated with low foliar N/P ratios. These ratios were much lower (<5) during the 1991/92 season than in the 1992/93 season (12–15). The increase in foliar N/P ratios after the shoot growing season was caused by a sharp drop in foliar P concentration, apparently due to reabsorption before leaf fall. There were no annual variations in biomass N concentration in contrast to P. During the 1992/93 growing season P concentrations in foliage and wood were a quarter and a third, respectively, of the 1991/ 92 levels. Since the short shoot growing season observed during the 1992/93 season is typical of savanna woodland trees in southern Africa, the high biomass P concentration and longer growing season in 1991/92 season were exceptional and may have been related to reduced competition by shallow rooting herbaceous plants caused by the severe drought of that season.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bernhard-Reversat F (1982) Biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen in a semi-arid savanna. Oikos 38: 321–332
Bray RH, Kurtz LI (1945) Determination of the total organic and available forms of phosphorus in soils. Soil Sci 59: 39–45
Chapin FS III, Kedrowski RA (1983) Seasonal changes in nitrogen and phosphorus fractions and autumn retranslocation in evergreen and deciduous taiga trees. Ecology 64: 376–391
Chidumayo EN (1988) Regeneration of Brachystegia woodland canopy following felling for tsetse-fly control in Zambia. Tropic Ecol 29: 24–32
Chidumayo EN (1991) Woody biomass structure and utilisation for charcoal production in a Zambian miombo woodland. Biores Technol 37: 43–52
Ernst W (1975) Variation in the mineral contents of leaves of trees in miombo woodland in south central Africa. J Ecol 63: 801–807
Ernst W, Walker BH (1973) Studies on the hydrature of trees in miombo woodland in south central Africa. J Ecol 61: 667–673
Frost P, Medina E, Menaut J-C, Solbrig O, Swift M, Walker B (1986) Responses of savannas to stress and disturbance International Union of Biological Sciences, Paris
Högberg P (1986) Nitrogen-fixation and nutrient relations in savanna woodland trees (Tanzania). J Appl Ecol 23: 675–688
Högberg P (1992) Root symbioses of trees in African dry tropical forests. J Veg Sci 3: 393–400
Högberg P, Piearce GD (1986) Mycorrhizas in Zambian trees in relation to host taxonomy, vegetation type and successional patterns. J Ecol 74: 775–785
Rutherford MC, Panagos MB (1982) Seasonal woody plant shoot growth in Burkea africana-Ochna pulchra savanna. S Afr J Bot 1: 104–116
Savory BM (1963) Rooting habits of important miombo species. Forest Department, Ndola
Simpson JG (1967) The geology of the Chinyunyu area. Geological Survey of Zambia, Lusaka
Tolsma DJ, Ernst WHO, Verweij RA, Vooijes R (1987) Seasonal variation of nutrient concentrations in a semi-arid savanna ecosystem in Botswana. J Ecol 75: 755–770
Vitousek PM (1984) Litterfall, nutrient cycling and nutrient limitation in tropical forests. Ecology 65: 285–298
White F (1983) The vegetation of Africa. Unesco, Paris
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chidumayo, E.N. Phenology and nutrition of miombo woodland trees in Zambia. Trees 9, 67–72 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00202124
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00202124