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- Title
Soil fertility and herb facilitation mediated by Retama sphaerocarpa.
- Authors
Rodríguez-Echeverría, S.; Pérez-Fernández, M. A.
- Abstract
Woody legumes growing in dry climates can increase soil nutrient content and facilitate plant growth in their understorey. We investigated differences in soil fertility and herbaceous community in relation to the presence and absence of the legume Retaina sphaerocarpa in a shrubland in a mediterranean type climate. The results showed a higher con- tent of limiting nutrients for plant growth, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, under the R. sphaerocarpa canopy. Herbaceous biomass, cover and nitrogen content increased below the canopy. However, species richness and diversity were diminished in the presence of a dense canopy of R. sphaerocarpa. Nitrogen isotopic analysis did not indicate a clear relationship between symbiotic fixation in R. sphaerocarpa and nitrogen content of soil and plants under its canopy. Nevertheless, herbs growing in the understorey showed a linear correlation between foliar N content and 15N values. The existence of a dense shrub canopy induced a smaller monthly variation in herb richness, diversity and biomass, suggesting that it provides a stable microhabitat facilitating herbaceous vegetation establishment and growth. The `shelter' effect was more important when environmental conditions became stressful for herbaceous plants.
- Subjects
PARKINSONIA aculeata; SOIL fertility; HERBS; PLANT growth; NITROGEN fixation; MEDITERRANEAN climate; ECOLOGICAL niche
- Publication
Journal of Vegetation Science, 2003, Vol 14, Issue 6, p807
- ISSN
1100-9233
- Publication type
Article