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Phosphorus forms as affected by abandoned anthills ( Formica polyctena Förster) in forest soils: sequential extraction and liquid‐state 31 P‐NMR spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Kristiansen Søren M.,
Amelung Wulf,
Zech Wolfgang
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/1522-2624(200102)164:1<49::aid-jpln49>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - topsoil , soil water , chemistry , phosphorus , environmental chemistry , litter , ecology , biology , organic chemistry
Ants are known to concentrate phosphorus (P) inside their nests via collection of food and litter. To elucidate the possible effects on long‐term availability of soil P, five anthills abandoned by Red wood ant ( Formica polyctena Förster) > 5—20 years ago were characterized for soil P forms in a temperate Danish deciduous forest. Sequentially extracted P fractions and liquid‐state 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were obtained on surface samples (0—10 cm) from abandoned anthills and adjacent topsoil; in addition one representative soil profile in an abandoned anthill was investigated. The results show that different inorganic and all organic P fractions were enriched by a factor of 2.0—3.3 inside anthills relative to the surrounding soil. The soil underneath the abandoned anthill had higher P contents until 50‐cm depth. Phosphorus composition was less affected by former anthill construction. Only the younger anthills revealed a preferential accumulation of labile organic P forms such as Na‐HCO 3 extractable P or diester P. The accumulation of the stable and moderate labile P forms, however, persisted for ≥ 20 years after abandonment. We concluded that former ant activity enhanced long‐term P availability of soil due to high local P inputs, whereas changes of the P form distribution lasted 5—10 years after nest abandonment.