Mineral composition of perennial vegetation of shrub patches in northeastern Patagonia

Abstract

This study was conducted to (1) quantify the mineral composition of litter, new leaves, and stems of two plant species (Atriplex lampa and Prosopis alpataco) in shrub patches, occurring with common abundance in the northeastern Patagonian region, and (2) determine the spatial and temporal variabilities of the mineral elements. There were 240 vegetal samples collected from six different sites, all within about 15 km. The essential nature of 15 mineral elements for litter and plant parts was analyzed. Composition varied significantly for P, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Zn, Mo, and B between species; N between seasons; and S, Al, Fe, Mn, and Cd among sites. Also Na, K, and B showed secondary variations derived from a seasonal effect, as did P, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, and Mo, but associated with secondary differences among sites.