Abstract

BARRETO SANCHEZ, Luis Hernán  and  LEON PELAEZ, Juan Diego. TOTAL FINE ROOT MASS AND NUTRIENT CONTENT IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS (Pinus patula Schltdl and Cham Cupressus lusitanica Mill and Quercus humboldtii Bonpl.)   FROM PIEDRAS BLANCAS, ANTIOQUIA-COLOMBIA. Rev. Fac. Nac. Agron. Medellín [online]. 2005, vol.58, n.2, pp.2007-2930. ISSN 0304-2847.

In the Piedras Blancas region, Antioquia-Colombia, a sampling of fine roots (£ 5 mm) was conducted in three permanent plots established in forest ecosystems of pine (Pinus patula Schltdl), cypress (Cupressus lusitanica Mill) and oak (Quercus humboldtii Bonpl.), at different depths: 0-30, 30-50 and 50- 80 cm, in order to determine the mass of roots and the concentration and content of nutrients in each vegetation type.  The mass of fine roots diminished quickly as depth increased, representing in the cypress plot 83 % of all roots in the first 30 cm of depth, in pine 75 %, and in oak forest 68 %.  The elements with the highest participation in the fine roots were calcium and potassium, with the former much greater in the cypress cover compared to the other plots, continuing in abundance potassium, with the exception of the oak plot where the concentration of Fe microelement was even greater than that of calcium.  The elements Ca, Mg, K, P, Mn, Cu, and Zn accumulated in the fine roots up to 80 cm of depth were greater in the cypress cover, with the only exception being Fe, which was greater in the oak plot.  In pine and cypress plots, the pattern of abundances followed the following sequence Ca > K > Mg > Fe > P.  This study sought to highlight the importance of fine roots and their concentrations of nutrients in natural forests and plantations and their relationship with nutrient cycling.  For this purpose, the methodological approach comprised total root mass, both dead and alive.

Keywords : Pinus patula; Cupressus lusitanica; Quercus humboldtii; fine roots; nutrient cycles.

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