A1 Effects of nutrient manipulation (NUMEX) on the performance of tree species and the suitability of tree species as indicators forchanging ecosystem properties

Jürgen HomeierPlant Ecology, University of Göttingen

Counterpart: Carlos Iván Espinosa, UTPL Loja

WP1: Long-term effects of nutrient addition on tree growth and carbon allocation (NUMEX plots,1000–3000m asl)

Methods Monitoring of aboveground key parameters is continued:

- Fine litter production and quality- Leaf parameters (foliar nutrients)- Stem growth (dendrometer tapes)

Focus on the belowground compartment:(PhD thesis Jhenny Salgado, started 10/2013)

- Fine root biomass - Fine root production (ingrowth cores/rhizoscopes) - Coarse root growth (2 tree species per Numex site)

+N +P?

WP2: Effects of continued nutrient addition on tree species composition (NUMEX plots,1000–3000m asl)

Methods Monitoring of tree recruitment (ongoing PhD thesis Daisy Cárate, DAAD)

- Annual census of tree seedlings in Numex plots

Seedling experiments (PhD thesis Daisy)- Planting of seedlings of locally common tree species into the Numex plots and other forest sites:

one ongoing experiment with Heliocarpus, Cedrela & Podocarpus planted in May 2013 (San Francisco) to be harvested this year

one new experiment with Prunus starting this year at Numex 2000m

WP3: Identification of nutrient-sensitive tree species

Methods Extension of the existing trait database with leaf traits (e.g. leaf

toughness, foliar nutrient concentrations) and stem traits (e.g. bark thickness, WSG, vessel density, vessel diameter, etc.)

Additional leaf samples of 300 trees and wood samples of 320 trees have already been collected

Trichilia septentrionalis (Meliaceae) Alchornea lojaensis (Euph.)

TRENCH Tree-Ring Environmental Network for Climate Change Monitoring- Developing a tree-based indicator system for environmental change impacts on forest ecosystems in southern Ecuador

Achim BräuningInstitute of Geography

FAU Erlangen - Nuremberg

TRENCH A2 Quantitative Erfassung holzanatomischer Parameter

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TRENCH A2 Quantitative Erfassung holzanatomischer Parameter

Neue Methode: Micr-CT (3-dimensionale Analyse)

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TRENCH A2 Laipuna: Erstellung von Jahrringchronologien und

deren klimatische InterpretationBeispiel: Bursera graveolens

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EL NIÑO

TRENCH A2 Laipuna: Erstellung von Jahrringchronologien und

deren klimatische InterpretationBeispiel: Bursera graveolens

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DRY SEASON(JUN-DEC)

RAIN SEASON(JAN-MAY)

TRENCH A2 Laipuna: Erstellung von Isotopenreihen und

deren klimatische InterpretationBeispiel: Bursera graveolens

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TRENCH A2 Planung

März/April 2014: Installation neuer Dendrometerstationen in Laipuna/RBSF

Laipuna: Wasserproben im Niederschlag/Boden/Xylem für 18O-Isotopie

Sommer/Herbst: Etablierung von Dendrometerstationen in El Cajas (Polylepis / Pinus)

Soil related projects in NUMEX-X

A7 The fate of phosphorus in forest and treeline ecosystems in Ecuador – Yvonne Oelmann

Nachanträge: DFG Bundle „N cycling“ A3 The soil animal community as indicator of changes

in the structure and functioning of Andean ecosystems with altitude and nutrient input – Stefan Scheu

A4 Responses of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to nutrient additions in Southern Ecuador – Matthias Rillig

(Ax Response of element cycles in a tropical mountain rain forest to environmental and land-use change - Wolfgang Wilcke)

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A7 – Yvonne Oelmann

Research questions Does the relationship between the mechanisms (biological

versus geochemical control) underlying P retention in the Ecuadorian montane rainforest change with altitude?

Does N and P fertilization modify the relationship between the biological and the geochemical control?

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A7 – Yvonne Oelmann

Preliminary results The P-saturation index in mineral soil increases

with increasing altitude. Explaining variables (e.g. pH, mineralisation) yet to be measured

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A7 – Yvonne Oelmann

Preliminary results The P-saturation index in mineral soil is higher if P is added

Fertilization effects even visible in the mineral soil below the thick organic layer

Geochemical control needs to be considered

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A7 – Yvonne Oelmann

Future work Tübingen

geochemical control, baseline P storage & availability Ecuador

sampling campaign in 2014 after symposiumanalysis of enzyme activity (phosphatase)

Göttingen:analysis of gross mineralisation (33P approach)

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A3 – Stefan Scheu

Bachelor and Master Thesis (2011 – 2013) Master Thesis: Kristina Richter (Nov. 2013): Effects of nutrient

addition (N, P, Ca) on soil arthropods along an altitudinal gradient of tropical montane rainforests in southern Ecuador

Master Thesis: Stephan Töppich (Nov. 2013): Soil microarthropod colonization of root and leaf litter and their effect on decomposition processes in a tropical mountain rain forest in Southern Ecuador

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A3 – Stefan Scheu

Publications 2013

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Ermilov, S. G., Bayartogtokh, B., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013). New and little known species of oribatid mites of the family Haplozetidae (Acari, Oribatida) from Ecuador. ZooKeys, 57(346), 43–57. doi:10.3897/zookeys.346.6436

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., & Maraun, M. (2013a). A new species of the genus Orthozetes from Ecuador (Acari:Oribatida:Microzetidae). Acarina, 21(2), 100–103.

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., & Maraun, M. (2013b). Two new species of Schalleria ( Acari : Oribatida : Microzetidae ) from Ecuador with a key to all species of the genus. International Lournal of Acarology, 93(3), 200–208.

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013a). New oribatid mites of the genera Machadobelba and Campachipte- ria ( Acari : Oribatida ) from Ecuador. Systematic & Applied Acarology, 18(2), 145–152.

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013b). New taxa and new records of oribatid mites of the family Galumnidae (Acari: Oribatida) from Ecuador. Zootaxa, 3700(2), 259–270.

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013c). Oribatid mites of the superfamily Oppioidea from Ecuador ( Acari : Oribatida ). Systematic &Applied Acarology, 18(3), 218–224.

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013d). Perscheloribates paratzitzikamaensis n. sp., with supplementary descriptions of Scheloribates elegans and Monoschelobates parvus (Acari, Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) from Ecuador. Acarologia, 53(4), 429–437. doi:10.1051/acarologia/20132104

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013e). Three new species of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Ecuador. Acarologia, 53(1), 111–123. doi:10.1051/acarologia/20132075

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013f). Three new species of the genus Sternoppia (Acari: Oribatida: Sternoppiidae) from Ecuador. Zootaxa, 3641(5), 565–576.

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013g). Two new oribatid mite species of the genus Gittella from Ecuador. Spixiana, 39(September), 1–8.

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F., & Maraun, M. (2013h). Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Truncozetes (Acari, Oribatida, Epactozetidae) from Ecuador. ZooKeys, 31(303), 23–31. doi:10.3897/zookeys.303.5309

Krashevska, V., Maraun, M., Ruess, L., & Scheu, S. (2010). Carbon and nutrient limitation of soil microorganisms and microbial grazers in a tropical montane rain forest. Oikos, 119(6), 1020–1028. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.18169.x

Krashevska, V., Maraun, M., & Scheu, S. (2012). How does litter quality affect the community of soil protists (testate amoebae) of tropical montane rainforests? FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 80(3), 603–7. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6941.2012.01327.x

Krashevska, V., Sandmann, D., Maraun, M., & Scheu, S. (2012). Consequences of exclusion of precipitation on microorganisms and microbial consumers in montane tropical rainforests. Oecologia, 170(4), 1067–76. doi:10.1007/s00442-012-2360-6

Maraun, M., Fronczek, S., Marian, F., Sandmann, D., & Scheu, S. (2013). More sex at higher altitudes : Changes in the frequency of parthenogenesis in oribatid mites in tropical montane rain forests. Pedobiologia, 56, 185–190.

Krashevska V, Sandmann D, Maraun M, Scheu S (2012) Consequences of exclusion of precipitation on microorganisms and microbial consumers in montane tropical rainforests. Oecologia, 170, 1067-1076.

Krashevska V, Sandmann D, Maraun M, Scheu S (2013) Moderate changes in nutrient input alter tropical microbial and protist communities and belowground linkages. Isme Journal.

A3 – Stefan Scheu

Future Work Long-term responses in NUMEX-X – sampling starting in

summer 2014 15N labeling experiment: execution questionable without

Wilcke Rotated core experiment (cooperation with Rillig, Wilcke?) Phylogeography of selected oribatid mites and testate

amoebae – sampling starting in summer 2014

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A4 - Matthias Rillig

Thesis Antje Gensing (Nov 2013): Responses of arbuscular

mycorrhizal fungi to nutrient additions in a pot experiment conducted in Southern Ecuador

Publications Camenzind T, Rillig MC (2013) Extraradical arbuscular

mycorrhizal fungal hyphae in an organic tropical montane forest soil. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 64, 96-102

Camenzind T, Hempel S, Homeier J, Horn S, Velescu A, Wilcke W, Rillig MC: Nitrogen and phosphorus additions impact arbuscular mycorrhizal abundance and molecular diversity in a tropical montane forest. - resubmitted

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A4 - Matthias Rillig

Ongoing work Until July 2014 - final analyses of 5 year effects in NUMEX Final publication of overall fertilization effects on AMF

and roots - in cooperation with Homeier/Hertel

Future Work Long-term responses in NUMEX-X - AMF abundance and

molecular diversity - coordinated sampling 15N labelling experiment - questionable without Wilcke Rotated core array - in cooperation with Scheu

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(Wolfgang Wilcke)

Publications Wullaert H, Bigalke M, Homeier J, Cumbicus N, Valarezo C,

Wilcke W (2013) Short-term response of the Ca cycle of a montane forest in Ecuador to low experimental CaCl2 additions. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 176, 892-903

Wilcke W, Leimer S, Peters T et al. (2013) The nitrogen cycle of tropical montane forest in Ecuador turns inorganic under environmental change. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 27, 1194-1204

Ongoing work Ongoing PhD thesis of Andre Velescu - close to finish 5

year analyses in NUMEX; preparation to measure effects of 15N tracer experiment in 3-4 months

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