ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess

Abstract Number: 5351
Poster No. = 1535


SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CANOPY STRUCTURE AND NUTRIENT ALLOCATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SHRUB CISTUS SALVIFOLIUS L.


M.P. Simões*, M. Madeira**, and L. Gazarini*. *Universidade de Évora, Portugal, **Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Portugal


Canopy structure and nutrients content were studied in Cistus salvifolius L., in March and July. The aerial biomass amounted to 9218 (24% of leaves) in March, and to 7541 kg ha-1 (6% of leaves), in July. In both months, leaves accumulated in the canopy middle layer, and wood in the bottom layer. The N, P, K and Ca foliar concentrations decreased in July, being N highest concentration in the upper layer in March. K and Ca concentrations increased from top to bottom. The higher leaf nutrient pools were found in March, amounting to 37.40 for N, 5.53 for P, and 18.27 kg ha-1 for K. The litterfall annual production was 3338 kg ha-1 (69% of leaves). The annual return of N, P and K to the soil, through leaf litterfall, was respectively 15.77, 1.24 and 9.32 kg ha-1 yr-1.

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