The objective of this study was to determine the influence of soil fertility on the mineral nutrition and distribution of native species in two semideciduous forests at the Experimental Farm at Gloria (FEG) and the Ecological Station at Panga (EEP) in Uberlândia, MG. Leaf samples were collected from two to four individuals with a minimum circumference of 10 cm at 1,30 m height of all species within 50 contiguous plots of 10 m X 10 m in each forest. Soil samples were analyzed from the A1 e A3 horizons of each plot of both areas. The soil of EEP showed lower acidity, higher availability of Ca and lower availability of Al, Fe, Zn and Cu. The availability of Mn was lower in the A3 horizon and higher in the A1 horizon at EEP. The foliar concentrations of Ca e K were higher at EEP which reflected the higher levels in soil. There were no differences in the concentrations of P, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn. The N concentrations were higher among species occurring exclusively at FEG. The Mn concentrations were lower at EEP, reflecting the effect of pH on its absorption. Thus the occurrence of some species exclusively at EEP seemed to be associated with their ability to absorb K and Mg from soils with high Ca availability.
aluminum accumulators; calcicoles; foliar nutrient concentrations; soil fertility; tropical forests
