Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Part I General perspectives
- 1 Setting the stage
- 2 Modeling the tropics-wide extent and distribution of cloud forest and cloud forest loss, with implications for conservation priority
- 3 The climate of cloud forests
- 4 Changes in mist immersion
- 5 Ecology and ecophysiology of epiphytes in tropical montane cloud forests
- 6 Global and local variations in tropical montane cloud forest soils
- 7 Nutrient cycling and nutrient limitation in tropical montane cloud forests
- 8 What is the state of tropical montane cloud forest restoration?
- Part II Regional floristic and animal diversity
- Part III Hydrometeorology of tropical montane cloud forest
- Part IV Nutrient dynamics in tropical montane cloud forests
- Part V Cloud forest water use, photosynthesis, and effects of forest conversion
- Part VI Effects of climate variability and climate change
- Part VII Cloud forest conservation, restoration, and management issues
- References
6 - Global and local variations in tropical montane cloud forest soils
from Part I - General perspectives
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Part I General perspectives
- 1 Setting the stage
- 2 Modeling the tropics-wide extent and distribution of cloud forest and cloud forest loss, with implications for conservation priority
- 3 The climate of cloud forests
- 4 Changes in mist immersion
- 5 Ecology and ecophysiology of epiphytes in tropical montane cloud forests
- 6 Global and local variations in tropical montane cloud forest soils
- 7 Nutrient cycling and nutrient limitation in tropical montane cloud forests
- 8 What is the state of tropical montane cloud forest restoration?
- Part II Regional floristic and animal diversity
- Part III Hydrometeorology of tropical montane cloud forest
- Part IV Nutrient dynamics in tropical montane cloud forests
- Part V Cloud forest water use, photosynthesis, and effects of forest conversion
- Part VI Effects of climate variability and climate change
- Part VII Cloud forest conservation, restoration, and management issues
- References
Summary
ABSTRACT
Although soil resources are widely considered as a major factor that reduces the productivity, stature, and diversity of tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF), systematic comparisons of soil resources within and between TMCF are lacking. This study combines published reports on TMCF soils with new data on the soils and forest structure of the Luquillo Mountains in Puerto Rico to assess the current state of knowledge regarding global and local-scale variation in TMCF soils. At the global scale, soils from 33 TMCF sites and over 150 pedons are reviewed. Compared to soils in humid lowland tropical forests, TMCF soils are relatively acidic, have higher organic matter content, and are relatively high in total nitrogen and extractable phosphorus. Across all sites, significant correlations also exist between mean annual precipitation and soil pH and base saturation, but not between any soil chemical factor and canopy height, site elevation, or air temperature. Although comparisons between TMCF are limited by inconsistent sampling protocols, analysis of available data does indicates that lower montane cloud forests (LMCF) have taller canopies, higher soil pH, lower soil nitrogen, and higher C/N ratios than upper montane cloud forests (UMCF). Within an UMCF in NE Puerto Rico, the abundance of soil nitrogen, carbon, and potassium accounted for 25% to 54% of the variation in canopy height. However, as much as 68% of the variation in stand height could be accounted for when site exposure, slope gradient, and the percent coverage of surface roots were also included in the analysis. […]
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Tropical Montane Cloud ForestsScience for Conservation and Management, pp. 77 - 89Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011
References
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