Authors
Steel Silva Vasconcelos, Daniel Jacob Zarin, Maristela Machado Araújo, Lívia Gabrig Turbay Rangel-Vasconcelos, Cláudio José Reis de Carvalho, Christina Lynn Staudhammer, Francisco de Assis Oliveira
Publication date
2008/1
Journal
Journal of Tropical Ecology
Volume
24
Issue
1
Pages
27-38
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Description
Litterfall quantity and quality may respond to alterations in resource availability expected with ongoing land-use and climate changes. Here, we quantify the effects of altered resource availability on non-woody litterfall quantity and quality (nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations) in eastern Amazonian forest regrowth (Brazil) through two multi-year experimental manipulations: (1) daily irrigation (5 mm d−1) during the dry season; and (2) fortnightly litter removal. Consistent with other tropical forest data litterfall exhibited seasonal patterns, increasing with the onset of the dry season and declining with the onset of the rainy season. Irrigation did not affect litterfall mass and had little impact on nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) concentrations and return, except for decreasing litter P concentration at the end of two irrigation periods. Litter removal did not alter litterfall mass or P concentration, but progressively reduced litterfall …
Total citations
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