Soil‐nutrient availability and the nutrient‐use efficiencies of forests along an altitudinal gradient on Yakushima Island, Japan

Contrary to expectations, soil nutrient availability and forest nutrient-use efficiencies on Yakushima Island, Japan, exhibit distinct patterns along an altitudinal gradient. Research reveals that total phosphorus (P) and inorganic nitrogen (N), as well as labile P fractions, decrease with increasing altitude, challenging initial hypotheses. This trend suggests that progressive soil acidity and slower decomposition in cooler, wetter upslope environments have dissolved volcanic ash-derived P and accelerated its leaching. Consequently, forest ecosystems on Yakushima face increasing phosphorus and nitrogen shortages at higher altitudes. The study analyzed soil nutrient fractions and inorganic N, along with P- and N-use efficiencies across seven forests spanning 170–1550 meters above sea level, providing critical insights into the nutrient dynamics of these unique altitudinally zoned ecosystems.

Mukai, M., Aiba, S.-i., & Kitayama, K. (2016). Soil‐nutrient availability and the nutrient‐use efficiencies of forests along an altitudinal gradient on Yakushima Island, Japan. Ecological Research, 31(5), 719–730. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-016-1381-8