EFFECTS OF FERTILISATION ON SOIL NUTRIENT CHARACTERISTICS AND THE GROWTH OF TREE STAND IN SECONDARY SEASONALLY DRY TROPICAL FORESTS IN MEXICO

Abstract

CAMPO J, SOLÍS E & GALLARDO JF. 2012. Effects of fertilisation on soil nutrient characteristics and the growth of tree stand in secondary seasonally dry tropical forests in Mexico. Soil properties and stem growth
were studied in dominant tree species in secondary tropical dry forests growing on limestone in Yucatán Peninsula, México. A young forest (10 years old, site A) with phosphorus (P)-poor soil and an older forest (60 years old, site B) with soil having higher available P contents were selected. Tree growth of representative species of each site was studied in relation to soil nitrogen (N) and P concentrations. Four independent plots (12 m × 12 m) in each forest were either left intact (controls) or fertilised with N, P or with N + P for
three years. In the young forest soil concentrations of NO₃^- were higher than those of NH₄⁺, indicating that nitrification proceeded fast. Application of N and N + P increased the concentration of soil NO₃^- at site A; fertilisation treatments at this site increased trunk growth only in Lysiloma latisiliquum. In contrast, N or P
fertilisation at site B did not significantly affect soil extractable N concentrations. At this site, fertilisation increased N transformations and P addition promoted growth in Acacia gaumeri and Bursera simaruba. These findings indicated that nutrient limitation occurred in the secondary forest.