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Hail-caused greenfall leaves, litterfall, nutrients, and leaf decomposition in tropical cloud forest and a restoration planting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2022

Guadalupe Williams-Linera Open the ORCID record for Guadalupe Williams-Linera [Opens in a new window] ,
Javier Tolome  and
Claudia Alvarez-Aquino
Guadalupe Williams-Linera*
Affiliation:
Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, Xalapa, Veracruz 91073, Mexico
Javier Tolome
Affiliation:
Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, Xalapa, Veracruz 91073, Mexico
Claudia Alvarez-Aquino
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
*
Author for correspondence: Guadalupe Williams-Linera, Email: guadalupe.williams@inecol.mx
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Abstract

Greenfall leaves caused by hailstorms may represent a resource pulse of nutrients. We determined the contribution of greenfall versus senescent leaves to total litterfall production, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus input to the system, and leaf decomposition rate. Litterfall was collected monthly for three years in two cloud forests (F1, F2) and a restoration planting area (R) in Veracruz, Mexico. Two fortuitous hailstorms occurred in the second year. Leaf decomposition rate was determined in all three sites but did not differ across them. Total annual litterfall, excluding greenfall, was 10.0, 10.1, and 7.7 Mg ha−1 y−1 for F1, F2, and R, respectively. Senescent leaves represented 65% of the litterfall, while greenfall leaves increased the annual leaf biomass component of the litterfall by 12%. Concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus were 2.3, 5.7, and 18.1% higher, respectively, in greenfall than in senescent leaves. Greenfall increased the annual input of C, N, and P by 12, 13, and 14%, respectively. Despite their short duration (approximately 70 minutes), the hailstorm events generated a substantial contribution of greenfall leaves and a source of extra C, N, and P, since these leaves decompose and are incorporated into the cloud forest system.

Keywords

greenfallhailstormsleaf decomposition rateleaveslitterfalllower montane cloud forestnitrogennutrient cyclingnutrient pulsephosphorus
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 39 , 2023 , e2
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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