Litter production and potential deposit of leaves nutrients in the Tamaulipan Thornscrub

Abstract

In three states of Nuevo León State, Mexico, the monthly dynamics (January to December) of litterfall production, as well as the macro and micronutrients of the leaves, were quantified. The total litterfall production (g m-2 year-1) was 408.0 (S1), 613.7 (S2) and 703.3 (S3), respectively. Leaves represented the highest component (from 247.5 to 515.1 g m-2 year-1) followed by branches (76.7-107.0), reproductive structures (56.7-66.7) and unidentified material, bodies and insect feces (18.0-36.2). Annual deposition of Ca in the three sites varied from 4.6 to 14.5, K from 2.0 to 8.7, Mg from 0.9 to 3.4, N from 4.0 to 9.3 and P from 0.1 to 0.3 g m-2 year-1. The Cu ranged from 0.9 to 4.9, Fe from 52.8 to 91.2, Mn from 9.5 to 18.1 and Zn from 5.9 to 9.2 mg m-2 year-1. The efficiency on nutrient use did not show a clear tendency among sites. For N, P and K pattern was: S1 > S3 > S2, for Mg was: S3 > S1 > S2 and for Ca was: S1 > S2 > S3. Even though phosphorus showed no significant differences among sites, its use efficiency was relatively higher than Ca, K, N or Mg. In general, mineral deposition was higher during autumn and winter months than in other periods. There were space and temporal variations in litterfall deposition in terms of quantity, quality and potential nutrient return.