DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Leaf litter leachate and the fate of phosphorus in seasonal lowland tropical forests

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Phosphorus is a key element for plant growth, so phosphorus availability in the soil is critical for world food production and carbon cycling by terrestrial ecosystems. Yet the controls on phosphorus cycling are not well understood, and these controls are expected to change with global climate change and continued land-use conversion. Understanding phosphorus cycling in the lowland tropics is especially critical because many soils of this region have mineral constituents that greatly hinder the mobility of this nutrient. The goal of this study is to improve our understanding of how leaf litter leachate (water extracts of senesced leaves) affects phosphorus cycling in seasonal lowland tropical forests. This study will evaluate whether leaf litter leachate is important for the return of nutrients to the soil, and if leaching potential can be predicted from structural and chemical characteristics of litter. The researchers will also investigate the extent to which litter leachate controls phosphorus cycling within the plant-soil-microbe environment. The broader impacts of this research include its contribution to our understanding of the relationships between litter leaching and rainfall patterns, and the applications of these results for predicting and mitigating the effects of climate change. An improved understanding of how natural systems cycle phosphorus could also have applications for improving production in managed systems, without high inputs of fertilizer. During the course of this research, the student will mentor undergraduate students through coursework hosted by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, and by engaging University of Florida undergraduates in this research.