The relationship between N, P returned via litter production and nutrient use efficiency of heath and peat swamp forests in Central Kalimantan

Abstract

The study of nutrient use efficiency in a heath and a peat swamp forest was carried out in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. There was a stronger correlation in the heath forest between nitrogen and phosphorus in above ground litterfall than in the peat swamp forest, and higher positive correlation between litterfall mass and nitrogen return via litterfall in the heath than in the peat swamp forest, compared to phosphorus. The heath forest used nutrient more efficiently than the peat swamp forest and thus was more efficient in retranslocating nutrients. This phenomenon is important for plants to adapt to the heath forest conditions. Both the heath and peat swamp forests in this study were more efficient in their nutrient use than the mixed dipterocarp forests. There was a specific pattern of NUEP (phosphorus used efficiency): the NUEP was higher when P in litterfall was low, suggesting a seasonal effect. Thus in the heath and peat swamp forests, plants use interesting and important nutrient use strategy to adapt to seasonal change.