Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of Soils
The influences of <i>Cycas micronesica</i> and <i>Zamia integrifolia</i> plants on soil chemistry were determined in Tinian and Florida in order to more fully understand how cycad plants affect the environments in which they grow. The introduction of <i>C. micronesica&l...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/6/2/24 |
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| author | Thomas E. Marler Michael Calonje |
| author_facet | Thomas E. Marler Michael Calonje |
| author_sort | Thomas E. Marler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The influences of <i>Cycas micronesica</i> and <i>Zamia integrifolia</i> plants on soil chemistry were determined in Tinian and Florida in order to more fully understand how cycad plants affect the environments in which they grow. The introduction of <i>C. micronesica</i> plants into a karst habitat generated decreases in soil phosphorus after five years and increases in soil nitrogen after six years. The carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus stoichiometry beneath the cycad plants significantly diverged from those of the adjacent native forests with <i>Pisonia grandis</i>, <i>Psychotria mariana</i>, <i>Aglaia mariannensis</i>, <i>Cynometra ramiflora</i>, and <i>Ficus</i> sp. cover after five years. Mineralization traits were determined beneath nine-year-old <i>C. micronesica</i> plants and revealed the plants greatly increased net nitrification and decreased net ammonification when compared to the native forest soils with <i>Bursera simaruba</i>, <i>Pinus elliottii</i>, and <i>Quercus virginiana</i> cover. These flux changes increased the total available nitrogen and percent available nitrogen in the soils beneath the cycad plants. The substrates of two soil series exhibited increased carbon and nitrogen concentrations beneath <i>Z. integrifolia</i> plants when compared with soils away from the cycad plants. No other mineral or metal was influenced by proximity to the <i>Z. integrifolia</i> plants. These gymnosperms exhibit distinct interactions with their subtending soils, and some of these traits improve ecosystems by increasing recalcitrant carbon and nitrogen and increasing spatial heterogeneity of soil chemistry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:33:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-605180ece1764b309c4fe585e4e1d219 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:33:52Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-605180ece1764b309c4fe585e4e1d2192023-11-19T21:12:10ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242020-04-01622410.3390/horticulturae6020024Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of SoilsThomas E. Marler0Michael Calonje1Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, University of Guam, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923, USAMontgomery Botanical Center, 11901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156, USAThe influences of <i>Cycas micronesica</i> and <i>Zamia integrifolia</i> plants on soil chemistry were determined in Tinian and Florida in order to more fully understand how cycad plants affect the environments in which they grow. The introduction of <i>C. micronesica</i> plants into a karst habitat generated decreases in soil phosphorus after five years and increases in soil nitrogen after six years. The carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus stoichiometry beneath the cycad plants significantly diverged from those of the adjacent native forests with <i>Pisonia grandis</i>, <i>Psychotria mariana</i>, <i>Aglaia mariannensis</i>, <i>Cynometra ramiflora</i>, and <i>Ficus</i> sp. cover after five years. Mineralization traits were determined beneath nine-year-old <i>C. micronesica</i> plants and revealed the plants greatly increased net nitrification and decreased net ammonification when compared to the native forest soils with <i>Bursera simaruba</i>, <i>Pinus elliottii</i>, and <i>Quercus virginiana</i> cover. These flux changes increased the total available nitrogen and percent available nitrogen in the soils beneath the cycad plants. The substrates of two soil series exhibited increased carbon and nitrogen concentrations beneath <i>Z. integrifolia</i> plants when compared with soils away from the cycad plants. No other mineral or metal was influenced by proximity to the <i>Z. integrifolia</i> plants. These gymnosperms exhibit distinct interactions with their subtending soils, and some of these traits improve ecosystems by increasing recalcitrant carbon and nitrogen and increasing spatial heterogeneity of soil chemistry.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/6/2/24cycad<i>Cycas micronesica</i>litter-trapping plantsstemflow<i>Zamia integrifolia</i> |
| spellingShingle | Thomas E. Marler Michael Calonje Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of Soils Horticulturae cycad <i>Cycas micronesica</i> litter-trapping plants stemflow <i>Zamia integrifolia</i> |
| title | Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of Soils |
| title_full | Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of Soils |
| title_fullStr | Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of Soils |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of Soils |
| title_short | Two Cycad Species Affect the Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Content of Soils |
| title_sort | two cycad species affect the carbon nitrogen and phosphorus content of soils |
| topic | cycad <i>Cycas micronesica</i> litter-trapping plants stemflow <i>Zamia integrifolia</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/6/2/24 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thomasemarler twocycadspeciesaffectthecarbonnitrogenandphosphoruscontentofsoils AT michaelcalonje twocycadspeciesaffectthecarbonnitrogenandphosphoruscontentofsoils |