Franziska Schrodt1, Tomas F Domingues2, Ted R Feldpausch1, Gustavo Saiz3, Carlos Alberto Quesada4, Michael Schwarz5, F Yoko Ishida4, Halidou Compaore6, Adamo Diallo7, Gloria Djagbletey8, Fidele Hien6, Bonaventure Sonké9, Herman Toedoumg9, Loius Zapfack9, Pierre Hiernaux10, Eric Mougin10, Michael I Bird11, John Grace2, Simon L Lewis1, Elmar M Veenendaal12, Jon Lloyd13. 1. School of Geography, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK. 2. School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, EH8 9XP-, Scotland, UK. 3. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. 4. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia, Manaus, Cx Postal 2223 - CEP 69080-971, Brazil. 5. Fieldwork Assistance, PSF 101022, 07710, Jena, Germany. 6. Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, 04 BP 8645, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 7. Centre National des Semences Forestières, BP 2682, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 8. Ecosystem and Climate Change Division, Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, PO Box UP 63 KNUST Kumasi, Ghana. 9. Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Higher Teachers' Training College, University of Yaounde, PO Box 047, Yaounde Cameroon. 10. Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, 14, avenue Edouard Belin - 31400 Toulouse, France. 11. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Terrestrial Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia. 12. Centre for Ecosystem Studies, University of Wageningen, PO Box 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, Netherlands. 13. School of Tropical and Marine Sciences and Centre for Terrestrial Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia.
Abstract
Variations in leaf mass per unit area (Ma) and foliar concentrations of N, P, C, K, Mg and Ca were determined for 365 trees growing in 23 plots along a West African precipitation gradient ranging from 0.29 to 1.62m a-1. Contrary to previous studies, no marked increase in Ma with declining precipitation was observed, but savanna tree foliar [N] tended to be higher at the drier sites (mass basis). Generally, Ma was slightly higher and [N] slightly lower for forest vs savanna trees with most of this difference attributable to differences in soil chemistry. No systematic variations in [P], [Mg] and [Ca] with precipitation or between trees of forest vs savanna stands were observed. We did, however, find a marked increase in foliar [K] of savanna trees as precipitation declined, with savanna trees also having a significantly lower [K] than those of nearby forest. These differences were not related to differences in soil nutrient status and were accompanied by systematic changes in [C] of opposite sign. We suggest an important but as yet unidentified role for K in the adaption of savanna species to periods of limited water availability; with foliar [K] being also an important factor differentiating tree species adapted to forest vs savanna soils within the 'zone of transition' of Western Africa.
Variations ipan class="Chemical">n leaf mass per unit area (Ma) and foliar concentrations of N, P, C, K, n class="Chemical">Mg anpan>d Ca were determinpan>ed for 365 trees growinpan>g inpan> 23 plots along a West Africanpan> precipitation gradienpan>t ranpan>ging from 0.29 to 1.62m a-1. Contrary to previous studies, no marked inpan>crease inpan> Ma with declinpan>inpan>g precipitation was observed, but savanpan>na tree foliar [N] tenpan>ded to be higher at the drier sites (mass basis). Genpan>erally, Ma was slightly higher anpan>d [N] slightly lower for forest vs savanpan>na trees with most of this differenpan>ce attributable to differenpan>ces inpan> soil chemistry. No systematic variations inpan> [P], [pan> class="Chemical">Mg] and [Ca] with precipitation or between trees of forest vs savanna stands were observed. We did, however, find a marked increase in foliar [K] of savanna trees as precipitation declined, with savanna trees also having a significantly lower [K] than those of nearby forest. These differences were not related to differences in soil nutrient status and were accompanied by systematic changes in [C] of opposite sign. We suggest an important but as yet unidentified role for K in the adaption of savanna species to periods of limited water availability; with foliar [K] being also an important factor differentiating tree species adapted to forest vs savanna soils within the 'zone of transition' of Western Africa.
Authors: Tomas Ferreira Domingues; F Yoko Ishida; Ted R Feldpausch; John Grace; Patrick Meir; Gustavo Saiz; Olivier Sene; Franziska Schrodt; Bonaventure Sonké; Herman Taedoumg; Elmar M Veenendaal; Simon Lewis; Jon Lloyd Journal: Oecologia Date: 2015-03-10 Impact factor: 3.225
Authors: Demetrius Lira-Martins; Carlos Alberto Quesada; Stanislav Strekopytov; Emma Humphreys-Williams; Bruno Herault; Jon Lloyd Journal: Front Plant Sci Date: 2022-04-04 Impact factor: 6.627