Abstract
The low availability of phosphorus (P) in tropical soils may hinder the initial establishment of forest species planted in disturbed areas. However, the effects of P fertilization as a strategy to improve the survival, growth and photosynthesis-related traits of Amazonian tree species in P-limited soils remain unclear. Here, we investigate how contrasting levels of P fertilization affect the establishment of native Amazonian tree species with different successional statuses. We measured the survival, growth (height and root collar diameter) and leaf traits (e.g., chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, leaf nutrients and gas exchange) of ten species (five pioneers and five nonpioneers) subjected to contrasting P supplies (−P = 0 kg P2O5 ha−1 and +P = 160 kg P2O5 ha−1) in the field over 24 months. Phosphorus fertilization improved the availability of P in the soil. Pioneers species were more responsive to fertilization. Erythrina fusca showed high mortality under −P, while Cedrela fissilis, Cordia alliodora and Guazuma ulmifolia (pioneers) exhibited the highest increases in growth rates after fertilization. Fertilization improved the P content in the leaves in the noonpioneers group, while both ecological groups had the highest K content in the leaves under no P fertilization. Carbon capture (stomatal conductance) increased only in pioneers species. Conversely, positive effects on carbon assimilation at the leaf level were not observed. P fertilization reduced the P use efficiency of nonpioneers species. Fertilization is an important management practice to relieve the effects of stress induced by soil phosphorus starvation on the establishment of Amazonian trees and is modulated by successional status and species identity.
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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the Fazenda Experimental da Universidade Federal do Amazonas and the Laboratório de Silvicultura group for their support of all fieldwork. We are grateful to Laboratório Temático de Solos e Plantas for supporting the nutrients analyses at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amazonia (INPA).
Funding
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Chamada Universal/MCTI/CNPq No. 01/2016, Processo No. 425260/2016-0). AOC. and AHBN. were supported by scholarships provided by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). MJF acknowledges the research productivity Grant—PQ provided by CNPq (process # 309870/2020-8).
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MJF and ML designed the research. MJF and ML installed the experiment. AOC, AHBN and VAHFS collected the physiological and growth data. ML and ZTMG collected the growth data. AOC, MJF and ZTMG performed the statistical analysis. AOC, AHBN, MJF and ZTMG wrote the first version of the manuscript. All authors contributed to revisions.
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de Oliveira Carvalho, A., Neves, A.H.B., Luvison, M. et al. Short-term effects of phosphorus fertilization on Amazonian tree species in a mixed plantation. New Forests 53, 851–869 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-021-09890-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-021-09890-x