Nutrient content and redistribution in leaves of Hevea brasiliensis and Pinus oocarpa

Abstract

The content of macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) and nutrient redistribution were evaluated in leaves of two species, an 8 years old angiosperm (Hevea brasiliensis) and a 25 years old a gymnosperm (Pinus oocarpa), both cultivated on an eutrophic Red Brown Earth (Alfissol). Leaves were collected at three different phenological states: young, mature, senescent and from the litterfall. The nutrient content of Hevea was higher, presenting 3 to 4 times higher concentrations of N, P, K and Ca suggesting that the pine had greater capacity of producing biomass with a relatively low amount of nutrients. In Pinus oocarpa 43% ofN, 65% of P and 75% of K was transferred from old to young leaves while, for Hevea, the nutrient return was 59%> for N, 65% for P and 60% for K.