Responses to Phosphorus of Contrasting Successional Tree-Seedling Species from the Tropical Deciduous Forest of Mexico

Abstract

1. We compared the growth responses of three early successional species, Cochlospermum vitifolium, Cordia alliodora and Heliocarpus pallidus, and the late successional Caesalpinia eriostachys, Caesalpinia platyloba, Jacquinia pungens and Recchia mexicana tree-seedling species to four concentrations (0, 2, 10 and 41 ppm) of phosphorus. The experiment was conducted over 50 days in pure silica sand inside growth chambers. 2. Mature-forest species had low relative growth rates and net assimilation rates, and showed little or no response, in growth and biomass allocation, to different P concentrations. 3. Early successional species had small seeds and higher responses in biomass allocation, growth and net assimilation rates to P availability, as well as a higher phosphorususe efficiency when P supply was low. 4. Species and treatment differences in growth rate generally corresponded more closely with patterns of net assimilation rate than with biomass allocation. The responsiveness of growth to P availability was negatively correlated with seed mass and P dependency.