Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the diversity of the shrub-tree layer in fertilized and unfertilized plots in a cerrado stricto sensu area in Central Brazil. The experiment was conducted in 16 plots of 15 m × 15 m arranged in a completely randomized design with tree fertilization treatments (+ N, + P, + NP), and an unfertilized treatment (control) in the Ecological Reserve of the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (RECOR-IBGE), Federal District, near Brasília. Treatments were applied from 1998 to 2006. Vegetation surveys were performed during January and July 2008 on all trees and shrubs with circumference > 5 cm at ground level. Indices of diversity of Shannon (H′), evenness of Pielou (J′) and similarity of Sørensen were calculated. Control plots contained 479 individuals of 47 species, belonging to 29 families. In the nitrogen (N) plots, 461 individuals were registered, belonging to 53 species and 34 families while 448 individuals of 54 species from 31 families were registered in phosphorus (P) plots and 336 individuals of 40 species, belonging to 24 families in nitrogen + phosphorus (NP) plots. The N (H′ = 3.20; J′ = 0.80) and NP (H′ = 2.89; J′ = 0.78) plots showed lower Shannon (H′) and Pielou (J′) indices relative to the control plots (H′ = 3.40; J′ = 0.88). The Sørensen floristic similarity was high between fertilized and control plots but decreased in the following order: P plots (0.81), N (0.78) and NP (0.76) plots. Fertilization shifted species density and dominance patterns in comparison to unfertilized plots. Nitrogen and NP addition decreased the evenness, species diversity and provided the least floristic similarity relative to the control plots. Density and dominance changes resulted in differences in species importance values among treatments. Simultaneous addition of N and P affected density, dominance, richness and diversity patterns more significantly than addition of N or P separately.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Mardocheu Rocha, Maria Regina Sartori S. da Silva and UnB Ecology Lab staff for valuable help. We also would like to thank the administration and staff of RECOR-IBGE. This study was funded by the Graduate Program in Ecology of the UnB, CNPq and LBA-NASA (ND-07).
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Jacobson, T., Bustamante, M. (2014). Diversity of the Shrub-tree Layer in a Brazilian Cerrado Under Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Nitrogen Plus Phosphorus Addition. In: Sutton, M., Mason, K., Sheppard, L., Sverdrup, H., Haeuber, R., Hicks, W. (eds) Nitrogen Deposition, Critical Loads and Biodiversity. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7939-6_18
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