Temporal Trends of Phosphorus Cycling in a Tropical Montane Forest in Ecuador During 14 Years

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Wolfgang Wilcke
  • Andre Velescu
  • Sophia Leimer
  • Moritz Bigalke
  • Jens Boy
  • Carlos Valarezo

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
  • University of Bern
  • Universidad Nacional de Loja
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1370-1386
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
Volume124
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 30 May 2019

Abstract

Increased bioavailability of P can have a negative impact on plant biodiversity. In an approximately 9-ha catchment under N + P-limited megadiverse tropical montane forest in Ecuador, we budgeted all major P fluxes and determined whether the P fluxes changed from 1999 to 2013. Furthermore, we assessed which external drivers (rainfall, total P and acid deposition) caused this potential change. Mean (±SD) annual P deposition (bulk+dry) was 240 ± 270 mg/m 2, with the SD reflecting the interannual variation. The annual P flux to the soil via throughfall+stemflow+litterfall was 1,400 ± 170 mg/m 2 of which 18 ± 9.2% was leached to below the organic layer. The mineral soil retained 80 ± 12% of the P leached from the organic layer. The mean annual P weathering rate was 79 ± 63 mg/m 2. The sum of P fluxes was approximately 5 times larger above than below the mineral soil surface, illustrating that P was tightly cycled in the biological part of the forest. The mean annual canopy budget was negative (−120 ± 280 mg/m 2); that is, P was leached from the canopy. Throughfall was the largest source of dissolved P. The P catchment budget (total deposition-streamflow) was positive (200 ± 270 mg/m 2); that is, P was retained, mainly in the soil organic layer. From 1999 to 2013, P fluxes with throughfall, stemflow, and streamflow increased significantly. The strongest driver of the P budgets of the canopy and the catchment was total P deposition. Our results demonstrate that mainly biological processes retained deposited P in the vegetation and the organic layer enhancing the internal P cycle.

Keywords

    catchment budget, litterfall, phosphorus fluxes, temporal trends, weathering rates

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

Temporal Trends of Phosphorus Cycling in a Tropical Montane Forest in Ecuador During 14 Years. / Wilcke, Wolfgang; Velescu, Andre; Leimer, Sophia et al.
In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol. 124, No. 5, 30.05.2019, p. 1370-1386.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Wilcke W, Velescu A, Leimer S, Bigalke M, Boy J, Valarezo C. Temporal Trends of Phosphorus Cycling in a Tropical Montane Forest in Ecuador During 14 Years. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 2019 May 30;124(5):1370-1386. doi: 10.1029/2018jg004942
Wilcke, Wolfgang ; Velescu, Andre ; Leimer, Sophia et al. / Temporal Trends of Phosphorus Cycling in a Tropical Montane Forest in Ecuador During 14 Years. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 2019 ; Vol. 124, No. 5. pp. 1370-1386.
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abstract = "Increased bioavailability of P can have a negative impact on plant biodiversity. In an approximately 9-ha catchment under N + P-limited megadiverse tropical montane forest in Ecuador, we budgeted all major P fluxes and determined whether the P fluxes changed from 1999 to 2013. Furthermore, we assessed which external drivers (rainfall, total P and acid deposition) caused this potential change. Mean (±SD) annual P deposition (bulk+dry) was 240 ± 270 mg/m 2, with the SD reflecting the interannual variation. The annual P flux to the soil via throughfall+stemflow+litterfall was 1,400 ± 170 mg/m 2 of which 18 ± 9.2% was leached to below the organic layer. The mineral soil retained 80 ± 12% of the P leached from the organic layer. The mean annual P weathering rate was 79 ± 63 mg/m 2. The sum of P fluxes was approximately 5 times larger above than below the mineral soil surface, illustrating that P was tightly cycled in the biological part of the forest. The mean annual canopy budget was negative (−120 ± 280 mg/m 2); that is, P was leached from the canopy. Throughfall was the largest source of dissolved P. The P catchment budget (total deposition-streamflow) was positive (200 ± 270 mg/m 2); that is, P was retained, mainly in the soil organic layer. From 1999 to 2013, P fluxes with throughfall, stemflow, and streamflow increased significantly. The strongest driver of the P budgets of the canopy and the catchment was total P deposition. Our results demonstrate that mainly biological processes retained deposited P in the vegetation and the organic layer enhancing the internal P cycle. ",
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AU - Wilcke, Wolfgang

AU - Velescu, Andre

AU - Leimer, Sophia

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N1 - Funding information: We thank E. Beck, K. Müller? Hohenstein, M. Richter, and W. Zech for coinitiating the long?term study; K. Fleischbein, R. Goller, M. Meyer? Grünefeldt, M. Sequeira, H. Wullaert, S. Yasin, and numerous undergraduate students for data acquisition during parts of the observation period; W. Schädler for providing RFA data of rock macro element concentrations; the Ecuadorian Environmental Ministry for the research permits; and Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional (NCI) in Loja for providing the study area and the research station and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for funding (FOR402 and FOR816). The original data are included in the supporting information.

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