title: Mineral nutrition of campos rupestres plant species on contrasting nutrient-impoverished soil types.
abstract: In Brazil, the campos rupestres occur over the Brazilian shield, and are characterized by acidic nutrient-impoverished soils, which are particularly low in phosphorus (P). Despite recognition of the campos rupestres as a global biodiversity hotspot, little is known about the diversity of P-acquisition strategies and other aspects of plant mineral nutrition in this region. To explore nutrient-acquisition strategies and assess aspects of plant P nutrition, we measured leaf P and nitrogen (N) concentrations, characterized root morphology and determined the percentage arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization of 50 dominant species in six communities, representing a gradient of soil P availability. Leaf manganese (Mn) concentration was measured as a proxy for carboxylate-releasing strategies. Communities on the most P-impoverished soils had the highest proportion of nonmycorrhizal (NM) species, the lowest percentage of mycorrhizal colonization, and the greatest diversity of root specializations. The large spectrum of leaf P concentration and variation in root morphologies show high functional diversity for nutritional strategies. Higher leaf Mn concentrations were observed in NM compared with AM species, indicating that carboxylate-releasing P-mobilizing strategies are likely to be present in NM species. The soils of the campos rupestres are similar to the most P-impoverished soils in the world. The prevalence of NM strategies indicates a strong global functional convergence in plant mineral nutrition strategies among severely P-impoverished ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, Campinas, 13083-862, Brazil.|School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Rafael S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, Campinas, 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hugo C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Mariana C R
authors.initials: MCR
authors.lastname: de Campos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, Campinas, 13083-862, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cleiton B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Eller
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Stuart J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pearse
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lambers
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D038821:Mycorrhizae; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: cerrado; dauciform roots; leaf manganese (Mn) concentration; leaf nutrient concentrations; mycorrhizas; nitrogen : phosphorus (N : P) ratio; phosphorus nutrition; sand-binding roots