Impact of land use change on atmospheric P inputs in a tropical dry forest

Forest canopies increase atmospheric inputs of nutrients to forest ecosystems by trapping dust and particulates. In tropical dry forests, this mechanism may contribute significant amounts of phosphorus, often a limiting nutrient in these ecosystems. Shifting cultivation may reduce the atmospheric inputs of phosphorus through the removal and restructuring of the forest canopy. We studied the impacts of land clearing by shifting cultivation in the southern Yucatan peninsula by measuring P in atmospheric bulk deposition and throughfall in two secondary forest stands and one mature forest stand to determine whether mature forests have greater throughfall P inputs than regenerating areas. From May to November 2007, we sampled rainfall in an open field and throughfall in three adjacent forest stands of different ages: 6 year old, 20 year old and mature (> 60 year). We analyzed subsamples for inorganic and organic P. During the 7 month wet season, cumulative P input for the open field was 0.28 kg/ha, the 6 year stand accumulated 0.44 kg/ha, the 20 year stand accumulated 0.55 kg/ha and the mature stand accumulated 0.81 kg/ha. Organic P inputs were similar to 50% of total P inputs in the open field, and 30-38% of total P inputs for the forest stands. The mature forest had significantly higher P concentrations and inputs than the open field or secondary forest stands, and forest stands had significantly greater P inputs than the open field, but there were no significant differences between the older and younger secondary forests. The repeated clearing of forests may thus reduce important P inputs to the ecosystem in the long-term.