PT Journal
AU Van Langenhove, L
   Janssens, I
   Verryckt, L
   Brechet, L
   Hartley, I
   Stahl, C
   Courtois, E
   Urbina, I
   Grau, O
   Sardans, J
   Peguero, G
   Gargallo-Garriga, A
   Peñuelas, J
   Vicca, S
TI Rapid root assimilation of added phosphorus in a lowland tropical rainforest of French Guiana
SO Soil Biology and Biochemistry
JI Soil Biol. Biochem.
PY 2020
VL 140
IS 107646
DI 10.1016/j.soilbio.2019.107646
DE Fertilization; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Plant root simulator probes; Root system; Tropical forest; Nitrogen fertilizers; Plants (botany); Soils; Tropics; Mycorrhizal fungus; N and P fertilizer; P availabilities; Plant root simulators; Tropical rain forest; Forestry; Fungi
AB Tree growth on weathered soils in lowland tropical forests is limited by low phosphorous (P) availability. However, nutrient manupulation experiments do not always increase the P content in these trees, which raises the question whether trees are taking up added P. In French Guianese lowland rainforest, we measured changes in nitrogen (N) and P availability before and up to two months after N and P fertilizer addition, in soils with intact root systems and in soils where roots and mycorrhizal fungi were excluded by root exclusion cylinders. When the root system was excluded, P addition increased P availability to a much greater extent and for a longer time than in soils with an intact root system. Soil N dynamics were unaffected by root presence/absence. These results indicate rapid P uptake, but not N uptake, by tree roots, suggesting a very effective P acquisition process in these lowland rainforests.
ER