Litterfall and nutrient dynamics shift in tropical forest restoration sites after a decade of recovery

Multi‐year studies comparing changes in litterfall biomass and nutrient inputs in sites under different restoration practices are lacking. We evaluated litterfall dynamics and nutrient inputs at 5 yr and after a decade of recovery in four treatments (natural regeneration—no planting, plantation—entire area planted, tree islands—planting in patches, and reference forest) at multiple sites in an agricultural landscape in southern Costa Rica. We inter‐planted two native species (Terminalia amazonia and Vochysia guatemalensis) and two naturalized N‐fixing species (Inga edulis and Erythrina poeppigiana) in plantation and island treatments. Although litterfall N was higher in plantations in the first sampling period, litter production and overall inputs of C, N, Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Mn, and Fe did not differ between island, plantation, or reference forest after a decade; however, all were greater than in natural regeneration. Potassium inputs were lower in the natural regeneration, intermediate in ...

迄今尚无针对不同生态修复措施下样地凋落物生物量与养分输入变化的多年对比研究。本研究于哥斯达黎加南部农业景观的多个样点中设置4类修复处理：自然恢复（无人工种植）、人工纯林（全域造林）、斑块造林（树木岛，即斑块式种植）及参照林，并分别在恢复满5年及10年后评估其凋落物动态与养分输入情况。研究在人工纯林与斑块造林样地中套种了两种乡土树种（Terminalia amazonia与Vochysia guatemalensis）以及两种归化固氮树种（Inga edulis与Erythrina poeppigiana）。尽管首个采样周期内人工纯林的凋落物氮素含量更高，但恢复满十年后，斑块造林、人工纯林与参照林的凋落物总产量及碳、氮、钙、镁、磷、铜、锰、铁的总输入量均无显著差异；不过上述三类样地的上述指标均显著高于自然恢复样地。自然恢复样地的钾素输入量最低，其余处理的钾素输入量处于...