Nutrient retranslocation in forest species in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Internal retranslocation is an important mechanism for nutrient conservation in plants, which depends on different factors. However, there are little data about this subject, especially on tropical forest species. This study aimed to evaluate the macronutrient retranslocation dynamic and the influence of ecological (P: pioneer x NP: non-pioneer) and phenological (ND: non-deciduous x D: semideciduous / deciduous) characteristics on the macronutrient content of leaves of five tree species on monospecific plantations in the Brazilian Amazon: Acacia mangium Willd., Parkia decussata Ducke, Dipteryx odorata (Aublet) Willd., Jacaranda copaia (Aubl.) D. Don and Swietenia macrophylla King. Photosynthetically active green leaves and senescent leaves (leaf litter) were collected. Retranslocation was estimated through an equation proposed by Attiwill, Guthrie and Leuning (1978). The pioneer species presented higher foliar contents of N; the non-pioneer species presented higher contents of K, Ca and S; and the results were inconclusive for P and Mg. The deciduous species presented higher foliar contents of K and of P, whereas the foliar contents of N, Ca, Mg and S were virtually identical between the phenological groups. The internal retranslocation of foliar nutrients in pioneer and non-deciduous species was higher than that of non-pioneer and deciduous species.