Root phosphomonoesterase activity as dependent on soil phosphorus availability of common herbaceous plant species of Río de la Plata grasslands

Abstract

Río de la Plata natural grasslands harbor a high diversity of plant species on soils spanning a wide gradient of phosphorus (P) concentration. Half of the total soil P concentration is organic P (Hernandez et al., 1995). Although plant diversity is high, most of the herbaceous communities share the same matrix of species, leading to the question: do common species increase their root phosphomonoesterase activity as the resin P concentration of the soils decreases?