Nutrient turnover studies in alpine ecosystems : III. Communities of lower altitudes dominated by Carex sempervirens vill. and Carex ferruginea scop

Abstract

Two plant communities, both dominated by Carex sempervirens but growing at different altitudes of the Northern Calcareous Alp region (IS: 600 m; KS: 1200 m) and one Carex ferruginea - dominated community (KC: 1200 m) are compared as to changes in dry matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content of living and dead overground and underground phytomass.The soils of the montanic sites KS and KC are better provided with water and the three nutrients than that of the prealpine site IS. KC has the highest potassium content in the soil and in the phytomass.The dry matter increase (g/m²) of the living overground phytomass during the growing season is about 200 in IS, 360 in KS, and 340 in KC with maxima of 365 in IS, 550 in KS and 375 in KC.The increase of dead overground phytomass is highest in KS, indicating that the total annual overground production exceeds the mere increase in living parts. Furthermore, there is an increase of underground phytomass in KS and KC. The average ratio of total underground/living overground phytomass is 4.6 in IS, 3.7 in KS, but 7.5 in KC.The annual fluctuation of nitrogen (g/m²) in the living overground phytomass increases from 2.5 in IS to 3.8 in KS and to 5.9 in KC. For KS and KC these values approach the nitrogen mineralization values of the soils observed during the growing season. There is an obvious increase of nitrogen in the underground phytomass of KS and KC toward the end of the growing season. It is concluded that in KC, there is a more pronounced annual oscillation of nitrogen between overground and underground phytomass, which is not observed in IS, and which in KS is intermediate.