Abstract
Litterfall is the largest source of nutrients to forest soils of tropical rainforests. However, variability in litterfall production, nutrient remobilization, and changes in leaf nutrient concentration with climate seasonality remain largely unknown for the central Amazon. This study measured litterfall production, leaf nutrient remobilization, and leaf area index on a forest plateau in the central Amazon. Litterfall was measured at monthly intervals during 2014, while nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium concentrations of leaf litter and canopy leaves were measured in the dry and rainy seasons, and remobilization rates determined. Leaf area index was also recorded in the dry and rainy seasons. Monthly litterfall varied from 33.2 (in the rainy season) to 87.6 g m‒2 in the dry season, while leaf area index increased slightly in the rainy season. Climatic seasonality had no effect on concentrations of nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium, whereas phosphorous and potassium responded to rainfall seasonality oppositely. While phosphorous increased, potassium decreased during the dry season. Over seasons, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous decreased in leaf litter; calcium increased in leaf litter, while magnesium remained unaffected with leaf aging. Regardless, the five nutrients had similar remobilization rates over the year. The absence of climate seasonality on nutrient remobilization suggests that the current length of the dry season does not alter nutrient remobilization rates but this may change as dry periods become more prolonged in the future due to climate change.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- C CL :
-
Leaf nutrient concentration of canopy leaves (mg g–1)
- CL:
-
Canopy leaves
- C SL :
-
Leaf nutrient concentration of senesced leaves (mg g–1)
- DBH:
-
Diameter at breast height (1.3 m from the ground)
- LAI:
-
Leaf area index (m2 m‒2)
- LL:
-
Leaf litter (senesced leaves)
- LLDM :
-
Dry matter of leaf litter (g m–2 a–1)
- LMA:
-
Leaf mass per area (g m‒2)
- NCL:
-
Leaf nutrient content in canopy leaves (g m‒2)
- NUE:
-
Nutrient use efficiency (g g‒1)
- R N :
-
Nutrient remobilization–nutrient resorption (%)
- t:
-
Ton (1000 kg)
- TL:
-
Annual total litterfall per unit area (g m‒2 a‒1)
- TNLL :
-
Annual total nutrient content in LL (g m‒2 a‒1)
- N:
-
Nitrogen
- P:
-
Phosphorus
- K:
-
Potassium
- Ca:
-
Calcium
- Mg:
-
Magnesium
References
Achat DL, Pousse N, Nicolas M, Augusto L (2018) Nutrient remobilization in tree foliage as affected by soil nutrients and leaf life span. Ecol Monogr 88:408–428. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1300
Antezana-Vera SA, Marenco RA (2021) Transpiration of Swartzia tomentifera in response to microclimatic variability in the central Amazon: the net effect of vapor pressure deficit. Cerne 27:e-102999. https://doi.org/10.1590/01047760202127012999
Britto DT, Coskun D, Kronzucker HJ (2021) Potassium physiology from Archean to Holocene: a higher-plant perspective. J Plant Physiol 262:153432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153432
Camargo MAB, Marenco RA (2023) Stem growth of Amazonian species is driven by intra-annual variability in rainfall, vapor pressure and evapotranspiration. Acta Bot Bras 37:e20220219. https://doi.org/10.1590/1677-941X-ABB-2022-0219
Charrier G, Torres-Ruiz JM, Badel E, Burlett R, Choat B, Cochard H, Delmas CEL, Domec JC, Jansen S, King A, Lenoir N, Martin-StPaul N, Gambetta GA, Delzon S (2016) Evidence for hydraulic vulnerability segmentation and lack of xylem refilling under tension. Plant Physiol 172:1657–1668. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.16.01079
Chave J, Navarrete D, Almeida S, Álvarez E, Aragão LEOC, Bonal D, Châtelet P, Silva-Espejo JE, Goret JY, von Hildebrand P, Jiménez E, Patiño S, Peñuela MC, Phillips OL, Stevenson P, Malhi Y (2010) Regional and seasonal patterns of litterfall in tropical south America. Biogeosciences 7:43–55. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-7-43-2010
Costa A, Resentini F, Buratti S, Bonza MC (2023) Plant Ca2+-ATPases: from biochemistry to signaling. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cel Res 1870:119508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2023.119508
Costa MH, Biajoli MC, Sanches L, Malhado ACM, Hutyra LR, Rocha HR, Aguiar RG, Araujo AC (2010) Atmospheric versus vegetation controls of Amazonian tropical rain forest evapotranspiration: are the wet and seasonally dry rain forests any different? J Geophys Res 115:G04021. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JG001179
Davison AC, Hinkley DV (1997) Bootstrap methods and their applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 582
Doughty CE, Goulden ML (2008) Seasonal patterns of tropical forest leaf area index and CO2 exchange. J Geophys Res 113:G00B06. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JG000590
Fernando AM, Marenco RA (2023) Successive cycles of soil drying and wetting improve tolerance to drought in mangabeira. Pesqui Agropecu Bras 58:e03360. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2023.v58.03360
Filoso S, Williams MR, Melack JM (1999) Composition and deposition of throughfall in a flooded forest archipelago. Biogeochem 45:169–195. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006108618196
Franken W, Leopoldo PR (1984) Hydrology of catchment areas of central-Amazonian forest streams. In: Sioli H (ed) The Amazon: limnology and landscape ecology of a mighty tropical river and its basin. Junk Pub, Dordrecht, pp 501–519
Gérant D, Pluchon M, Mareschal L, Koutika LS, Epron D (2017) Seasonality of nitrogen partitioning (non-structural versus structural) in the leaves and woody tissues of tropical eucalypts experiencing a marked dry season. Tree Physiol 37:790–798. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpx032
Hawkesford M, Horst W, Kichey T, Lambers H, Schjoerring J, Møller IS, White P (2012) Functions of macronutrients. In: Marschner P (ed) Marschner’s mineral nutrition of higher plants. Elsevier, New York, pp 135–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384905-2.00006-6
Hikosaka K (2004) Interspecific difference in the photosynthesis–nitrogen relationship: patterns, physiological causes, and ecological importance. J Plant Res 117:481–494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-004-0174-2
INMET (2021) Graficos Climatologicos (Weather charts). https://clima.inmet.gov.br/GrafcosClimatologicos/DF/83377 [Accessed on 06 Oct 2021]
Janssen T, van der Velde Y, Hofhansl F, Luyssaert S, Naudts K, Driessen B, Fleischer K, Dolman H (2021) Drought effects on leaf fall, leaf flushing and stem growth in the Amazon forest: reconciling remote sensing data and field observations. Biogeosciences 18:4445–4472. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4445-2021
Klinge H (1976) Bilanzierung von Hauptnährstoffen im Ökosystem tropischer Regenwald (Manaus): vorläufige Daten. Biogeograph 7:59–76
Luizão FJ (1989) Litter production and mineral element input to the forest floor in a Central Amazonian forest. GeoJournal 19:407–417. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176910
Luizão RC, Bonde TA, Rosswall T (1992) Seasonal variation of soil microbial biomass—the effects of clear felling a tropical rainforest and establishment of pasture in the central Amazon. Soil Biol Biochem 24:805–813. https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(92)90256-W
Machado MR, Sampaio PDTB, Ferraz J, Camara R, Pereira MG (2016) Nutrient retranslocation in forest species in the Brazilian Amazon. Acta Sci Agron 38:93–101. https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v38i1.26805
Magalhães NS, Marenco RA, Camargo MAB (2014) Do soil fertilization and forest canopy foliage affect the growth and photosynthesis of Amazonian saplings? Sci Agric 71:58–65. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-90162014000100008
Maillard A, Diquélou S, Billard V, Laîné P, Garnica M, Prudent M, Garcia-Mina JM, Jean-Claude Y, Ourry A (2015) Leaf mineral nutrient remobilization during leaf senescence and modulation by nutrient deficiency. Front Plant Sci 6:317. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.00317
Malhado AC, Costa MH, de Lima FZ, Portilho KC, Figueiredo DN (2009) Seasonal leaf dynamics in an Amazonian tropical forest. For Ecol Manag 258:1161–1165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2009.06.002
Marenco RA, Nascimento HCS, Magalhães NS (2014) Stomatal conductance in Amazonian tree saplings in response to variations in the physical environment. Photosynthetica 52:493–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-014-0056-3
Marenco RA, Sousa FDF, Oliveira MF (2019) Leaf phenology, growth and photosynthesis in Pseudobombax munguba (Malvaceae). Rev Ceres 66:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-737X201966010001
Marengo JA, Souza CM, Thonicke K, Burton C, Halladay K, Betts RA, Alves LM, Soares WR (2018) Changes in climate and land use over the Amazon region: current and future variability and trends. Front Earth Sci 6:228. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2018.00228
Marques JDO, Luizão FJ, Teixeira WG, Vitel CM, Marques EMA (2016) Soil organic carbon, carbon stock and their relationships to physical attributes under forest soils in central Amazonia. Rev Arv 40:197–208. https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-67622016000200002
Martins-Souza M (2023) Growth and phenology of tree species with non-timber use in the Central Amazon. Dissertation, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil (in Portuguese). https://repositorio.inpa.gov.br/handle/1/38966 Accessed on 20 May 2023
Miyazawa M, Pavan MA, Santana CAF, Melo WJ (2009) Análise química do tecido vegetal. In: Silva FC (ed) Manual de analises químicas de solos, plantas e fertilizantes. Embrapa, Rio de Janeiro Brasilia, pp 192–233
Moreira A, Fageria NK (2009) Soil chemical attributes of Amazonas state, Brazil. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 40:2912–2925. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103620903175371
Myneni RB, Yang W, Nemani RR, Huete AR, Dickinson RE, Knyazikhin Y, Didan K, Fu R, Juárez RIN, Saatchi SS, Hashimoto H, Ichii K, Shabanov NV, Tan B, Ratana P, Privette JL, Morisette JT, Vermote EF, Roy DP, Wolfe RE, Friedl MA, Running SW, Votava P, El-Saleou N, Devadiga S, Su Y, Salomonson VV (2007) Large seasonal swings in leaf area of Amazon rainforests. Proc Natl Acad Sci 104:4820–4823. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0611338104
Niinemets Ü, Ostonen I (2020) Plant organ senescence above-and belowground in trees: how to best salvage resources for new growth? Tree Physiol 40:981–986. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaa060
Ourique LK, Silva RO, Souza CA, Noguchi H, Santos JD, Higuchi N (2016) Relationship of litter fall with diameter increment in an old growth forest in central Amazon region. Sci For 44:875–886. https://doi.org/10.18671/scifor.v44n112.09
Piatek KB, Allen HL (2000) Site preparation effects on foliar N and P use, retranslocation, and transfer to litter in 15-years old Pinus taeda. For Ecol Manag 129:143–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(99)00150-4
Prance GT, Rodrigues WA, Silva MFD (1976) Inventário florestal de um hectare de mata de terra firme km 30 da estrada Manaus-Itacoatiara. Acta Amazon 6:9–35. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-43921976061009
Rankin-de-Mérona JM, Prance GT, Hutchings RW, Silva MFD, Rodrigues WA, Uehling ME (1992) Preliminary results of a large-scale tree inventory of upland rain forest in the Central Amazon. Acta Amazon 22:493–534. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-43921992224534
Römheld V (2012) Diagnosis of deficiency and toxicity of nutrients. In: Marschner P (ed) Marschner’s mineral nutrition of higher plants. Elsevier, New York, pp 135–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384905-2.00011-X
Saatchi SS, Houghton RA, Santos Alvala RC, Soares JV, Yu Y (2007) Distribution of aboveground live biomass in the Amazon basin. Glob Change Biol 13(4):816–837
Santos EF, Mateus NS, Rosario MO, Garcez TB, Mazzafera P, Lavres J (2021) Enhancing potassium content in leaves and stems improves drought tolerance of eucalyptus clones. Physiol Plant 172:552–563. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.13228
Schaap KJ, Fuchslueger L, Hoosbeek MR, Hofhansl F, Martins NP, Valverde-Barrantes OJ, Hartley IP, Lugli LF, Quesada CA (2021) Litter inputs and phosphatase activity affect the temporal variability of organic phosphorus in a tropical forest soil in the central Amazon. Plant Soil 469:423–441. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05146-x
Schlesinger WH (2021) Some thoughts on the biogeochemical cycling of potassium in terrestrial ecosystems. Biogeochemistry 154:427–432. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-020-00704-4
Silveira AMF, Coelho Netto RA, Marenco RA (2023) Biomass allocation in Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae) under water stress and high CO2 concentration. Sci For 51:e3955
Sombroek WG (1984) Soils of the Amazon region. In: Sioli H (ed) The Amazon: limnology and landscape ecology of a mighty tropical river and its basin. Junk Pub, Dordrecht, pp 521–535
Tobón C, Sevink J, Verstraten JM (2004) Solute fluxes in throughfall and stemflow in four forest ecosystems in northwest Amazonia. Biogeochemistry 70:1–25. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BIOG.0000049334.10381.f8
Tyree MT, Cochard H, Cruiziat P, Sinclair B, Ameglio T (1993) Drought-induced leaf shedding in walnut: evidence for vulnerability segmentation. Plant Cell Environ 16:879–882. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.1993.tb00511.x
van Heerwaarden LM, Toet S, Aerts R (2003) Current measures of nutrient resorption efficiency lead to a substantial underestimation of real resorption efficiency: facts and solutions. Oikos 101:664–669. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0706.2003.12351.x
Velescu A, Homeier J, Bendix J, Valarezo C, Wilcke W (2021) Response of water-bound fluxes of potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium to nutrient additions in an Ecuadorian tropical montane forest. For Ecol Manag 501:119661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119661
Vergutz L, Manzoni S, Porporato A, Novai RF, Jackson RB (2012) Global resorption efficiencies and concentrations of carbon and nutrients in leaves of terrestrial plants. Ecol Monogr 82:205–220. https://doi.org/10.1890/11-0416.1
Vitousek P (1982) Nutrient cycling and nutrient use efficiency. Am Nat 119:553–572. https://doi.org/10.1086/283931
Vitousek PM, Sanford RL (1986) Nutrient cycling in moist tropical forest. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 17:137–167. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.17.110186.001033
Wang XC, Chen Y, Liu F, Zhao R, Quan XK, Wang CK (2020) Nutrient resorption estimation compromised by leaf mass loss and area shrinkage: Variations and solutions. For Ecol Manag 472:118232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118232
Wang XC, Song HM, Liu F, Quan XK, Wang CK (2022) Timing of leaf fall and changes in litter nutrient concentration compromise estimates of nutrient fluxes and nutrient resorption efficiency. For Ecol Manag 513:120188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120188
White PJ (2012) Long-distance transport in the xylem and phloem. In: Marschner P (ed) Marschner’s mineral nutrition of higher plants. Elsevier, New York, pp 49–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384905-2.00003-0
Widders IE, Lorenz OA (1983) Effect of leaf age on potassium efflux and net flux in tomato leaf slices. Ann Bot 52:499–506. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a086605
Wu J, Albert LP, Lopes AP, Restrepo-Coupe N, Hayek M, Wiedemann KT, Guan K, Stark SC, Christoffersen B, Prohaska N, Tavares JV, Marostica S, Kobayashi H, Ferreira ML, Campos KS, Silva R, Brando PM, Dye DG, Huxman TE, Nelson HAR, BN, Saleska SR, (2016) Leaf development and demography explain photosynthetic seasonality in Amazon evergreen forests. Science 351:972–976. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad5068
Yan H, Wang SQ, Huete A, Shugart HH (2019) Effects of light component and water stress on photosynthesis of Amazon rainforests during the 2015/2016 El Niño drought. J Geophys Res Biogeosci 124:1574–1590. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JG004988
Zimmermann MH (1983) Xylem structure and the ascent of sap. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, p 143
Acknowledgements
We thank the editors and reviewers for their comments and suggestions which greatly improved the quality of the manuscript. Many thanks to Prof. Ayling for his important suggestions and revision of English of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Project funding: This work was financially supported by the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações (MCTI-INPA, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, grant number: 303913/2021-5), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas (FAPEAM) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES code 0001).
The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com.
Corresponding editor: Yanbo Hu.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Marenco, R.A., Antezana-Vera, S.A., Dias, D.P. et al. Litter production and leaf nutrient concentration and remobilization in response to climate seasonality in the central Amazon. J. For. Res. 35, 54 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-024-01701-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-024-01701-1