Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé :  
Previous studies in lowland tropical rainforests of French Guiana showed that, among non-N2-fixing trees, two groups of late successional species contrasting in their leaf 15N natural abundance coexist, suggesting two different main ways of nitrogen acquisition. Two abundant late-successional species typically co-occurring in rainforests in French Guiana, namely Eperua falcata and Dicorynia guianensis, were chosen as representative of each group. Stable isotope techniques and measurements of potentials of microbial N transformation were performed to assess to what extent leaf 15N natural abundance of these species could be related to (i) d15N signatures of soil mineral N sources and (ii) the capacity of soil to express nitrification and denitrification (both processes being directly involved in the balance between NH4 + and NO3 - ). Soil d15N-NH4 + was roughly similar to leaf d15N of D. guianensis (around 3.5%), suggesting a preferential use of NH4 +, whereas in E. falcata, leaf d15N values were closer to root d15N-NO3 _ values (0.2 and _2.0%, respectively), suggesting a preferential use of NO3 _. These differences in N source utilization were not accompanied by differences in availability in soil NO3 _ or in intensity of microbial functions responsible for soil N mineral evolution. However, (i) under both tree species, these functions showed clear spatial partitioning, with denitrification occurring potentially in soil and nitrification in the litter layer, and (ii) E. falcata fine roots colonized the litter layer much more strongly than D. guianensis fine roots. This strongly suggests that (i) the contrasted leaf d15N values found in the two late-successional species reveal distinct N acquisition strategies and (ii) the ability of roots to predominantly exploit the litter layer (E. falcata) or the soil (D. guianensis) may constitute an important explanation of the observed differences. A complementarity between tree species, based on mineral N resource partitioning (itself resulting from a spatially structured location of the microbial functions responsible for the balance between NH4 + and NO3 - ), can thus be supposed.
ISSN: 0038-0717

hal-01032035
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01032035
DOI : 10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.09.011

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Background and AimsEpiphytism imposes physiological constraints resulting from the lack of access to the nutrient sources available to ground-rooted plants. A conspicuous adaptation in response to that lack is the phytotelm (plant-held waters) of tank-bromeliad species that are often nutrient-rich. Associations with terrestrial invertebrates also result in higher plant nutrient acquisition. Assuming that tank-bromeliads rely on reservoir-assisted nutrition, it was hypothesized that the dual association with mutualistic ants and the phytotelm food web provides greater nutritional benefits to the plant compared with those bromeliads involved in only one of these two associations.MethodsQuantitative (water volume, amount of fine particulate organic matter, predator/prey ratio, algal density) and qualitative variables (ant-association and photosynthetic pathways) were compared for eight tank- and one tankless-bromeliad morphospecies from French Guiana. An analysis was also made of which of these variables affect nitrogen acquisition (leaf N and δ(15)N).Key ResultsAll variables were significantly different between tank-bromeliad species. Leaf N concentrations and leaf δ(15)N were both positively correlated with the presence of mutualistic ants. The amount of fine particulate organic matter and predator/prey ratio had a positive and negative effect on leaf δ(15)N, respectively. Water volume was positively correlated with leaf N concentration whereas algal density was negatively correlated. Finally, the photosynthetic pathway (C3 vs. CAM) was positively correlated with leaf N concentration with a slightly higher N concentration for C3-Tillandsioideae compared with CAM-Bromelioideae.ConclusionsThe study suggests that some of the differences in N nutrition between bromeliad species can be explained by the presence of mutualistic ants. From a nutritional standpoint, it is more advantageous for a bromeliad to use myrmecotrophy via its roots than to use carnivory via its tank. The results highlight a gap in our knowledge of the reciprocal interactions between bromeliads and the various trophic levels (from bacteria to large metazoan predators) that intervene in reservoir-assisted nutrition.
ISSN: 0305-7364

hal-00849045
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00849045
DOI : 10.1093/aob/mct147
PUBMED : 23864002

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag
Résumé : The suitability of the natural 15N abundance and of total N concentration of leaves as indicators of the type of plant N nutrition in a rain forest of French Guiana were tested. Leaf samples from primary legume species, non-legumes (pioneer species) and from the non-N2-fixing species Dicorynia guianensis were analyzed. Both '15N and total leaf N varied widely (m1 r '15N (‰) r 7 and 1 r leaf N(%) r 3.2) suggesting possible distinctions between diazotrophic and non-fixing plants. The '15N also revealed two statistically distinct groups of non-N2-fixing species ('15N = 5.14 - 0.3 vs '15Nv=v1.65 - 0.17) related to the different ecological behaviors of these species in the successional processes. We conclude that the '15N signature of plant leaves combined with their total N concentration may be relevant indicators for identifying functional groups within the community of non-N2-fixing species, as well as for detecting diazotrophy. Despite the variability in the '15N of the non-N2-fixing species, N2-fixing groups can still be identified, provided that plants are simultaneously classified taxonomically, by their leaf '15N and total N concentration and by the presence or absence of nodules. The variability in the '15N of the non-fixing species is discussed.
ISSN: 0029-8549

hal-01031454
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01031454
DOI : 10.1007/s004420050846