268
Antoni Escarrt~, Ferran Roda, Jaume Terradas and Xavier Mayor
fluxes, as measured by the coefficient of variation, were 19%, the same as for
the amount of litterfall; for K and Mg the coefficient of variation was 3033%, i.e. the spatial variation of litterfall fluxes for these cations was much
higher than for the amount of litterfall.
Nand P fluxes in litterfall did not vary significantly either among the
range of altitudes considered (800-1000 m a.s.l.) or between the two contrasting slope aspects within the catchment (north-facing and east-facing). K
and Mg fluxes varied significantly with altitude, the highest mean fluxes being obtained at 1000 m a.s.l., where the plots having the highest basal area
were located.
Litterfall nutrient fluxes were positively correlated to aboveground net
primary production (ANPP) across the 18 plots (Mayor and Roda 1992), but
this correlation was probably forced by the participation of litterfall amount
in estimating both ANPP and litterfall nutrient fluxes. Moreover, spatial
variations in ANPP over the Montseny catchment were uncorrelated with
nutrient concentrations in mature leaves and in leaf litterfall, with absolute
and relative nutrient· retranslocation from senescing leaves, and with the
concentration and content (kg ha- 1 ) of nutrients in the upper mineral soil.
Thus, no correlational evidence was found that primary production was nutrient-limited in this forest. This is not to say that nutrients are of little importance in holm oak forests, as the strong response of canopy dynamics to
N fertilization dearly demonstrates (Chap. 13).
References
Attiwill PM, Adams MA (1993) Tansley review no. 50. Nutrient cycling in forests. New Phytol
124:561-582
Bellot J, Sanchez JR, Lled6 MJ, Martinez P, Escarrc! A (1992) Litterfall as a measure of primary
production in Mediterranean holm oak forest. Vegetatio 99/100:69-76
Berendse F, Aerts R (1987) Nitrogen-use-efficiency: a biologically meaningful definition? Funct
EcoI1:293-296
Bonilla D, Roda F (1989) Dinamica del nitr6geno en el suelo de un encinar montano: respuesta
a una perturbaci6n experimental. Options Medit Ser Semin 3:187.190
Bonilla D, Roda F (1990) Nitrogen cycling responses to disturbance: trenching experiments in
an evergreen oak forest. In: Harrison AF, Ineson P, Heal OW (eds) Nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Elsevier, London, pp 179-189
Canadell J (1988) Biomassa aeria i subterrania de l'alzinar de La Castanya, Montseny. MSc Thesis, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra
Canadell J, Vila M (1992) Variation in tissue element concentrations in Quercus ilex L. over a
range of different soils. Vegetatio: 99/100:273-282
Chabot BF, Hicks DJ (1982) The ecology ofleaf life spans. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 13:229-259
Chapin III FS (1980) The mineral nutrition of wild plants. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 11 :233-259
Clemente A (1983) Componentes especifico yestacional en la variaci6n de contenidos en elementos quimicos de las especies y formas biol6gicas del encinar mediterraneo. MSc Thesis,
University of Aiicante, Alicante
Cole DW, Rapp M (1981) Elemental cycling in forest ecosystems. In: Reichle D (ed) Dynamic
properties of forest ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 341-409
Antoni Escarrt~, Ferran Roda, Jaume Terradas and Xavier Mayor
fluxes, as measured by the coefficient of variation, were 19%, the same as for
the amount of litterfall; for K and Mg the coefficient of variation was 3033%, i.e. the spatial variation of litterfall fluxes for these cations was much
higher than for the amount of litterfall.
Nand P fluxes in litterfall did not vary significantly either among the
range of altitudes considered (800-1000 m a.s.l.) or between the two contrasting slope aspects within the catchment (north-facing and east-facing). K
and Mg fluxes varied significantly with altitude, the highest mean fluxes being obtained at 1000 m a.s.l., where the plots having the highest basal area
were located.
Litterfall nutrient fluxes were positively correlated to aboveground net
primary production (ANPP) across the 18 plots (Mayor and Roda 1992), but
this correlation was probably forced by the participation of litterfall amount
in estimating both ANPP and litterfall nutrient fluxes. Moreover, spatial
variations in ANPP over the Montseny catchment were uncorrelated with
nutrient concentrations in mature leaves and in leaf litterfall, with absolute
and relative nutrient· retranslocation from senescing leaves, and with the
concentration and content (kg ha- 1 ) of nutrients in the upper mineral soil.
Thus, no correlational evidence was found that primary production was nutrient-limited in this forest. This is not to say that nutrients are of little importance in holm oak forests, as the strong response of canopy dynamics to
N fertilization dearly demonstrates (Chap. 13).
References
Attiwill PM, Adams MA (1993) Tansley review no. 50. Nutrient cycling in forests. New Phytol
124:561-582
Bellot J, Sanchez JR, Lled6 MJ, Martinez P, Escarrc! A (1992) Litterfall as a measure of primary
production in Mediterranean holm oak forest. Vegetatio 99/100:69-76
Berendse F, Aerts R (1987) Nitrogen-use-efficiency: a biologically meaningful definition? Funct
EcoI1:293-296
Bonilla D, Roda F (1989) Dinamica del nitr6geno en el suelo de un encinar montano: respuesta
a una perturbaci6n experimental. Options Medit Ser Semin 3:187.190
Bonilla D, Roda F (1990) Nitrogen cycling responses to disturbance: trenching experiments in
an evergreen oak forest. In: Harrison AF, Ineson P, Heal OW (eds) Nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Elsevier, London, pp 179-189
Canadell J (1988) Biomassa aeria i subterrania de l'alzinar de La Castanya, Montseny. MSc Thesis, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra
Canadell J, Vila M (1992) Variation in tissue element concentrations in Quercus ilex L. over a
range of different soils. Vegetatio: 99/100:273-282
Chabot BF, Hicks DJ (1982) The ecology ofleaf life spans. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 13:229-259
Chapin III FS (1980) The mineral nutrition of wild plants. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 11 :233-259
Clemente A (1983) Componentes especifico yestacional en la variaci6n de contenidos en elementos quimicos de las especies y formas biol6gicas del encinar mediterraneo. MSc Thesis,
University of Aiicante, Alicante
Cole DW, Rapp M (1981) Elemental cycling in forest ecosystems. In: Reichle D (ed) Dynamic
properties of forest ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 341-409