{
  "abstract": "The large grove-forming ectomycorrhizal tropical tree Microberlinia bisulcata displays strong mast fruiting on poor soils. Evidence is presented that masting is probably determined primarily by mineral nutrients and secondarily by radiation. To test the nutrient resource limitation hypothesis, phenological recordings were matched with climate variables and modelled using logistic time-series regression. A strong predictor was average daily rainfall in the dry season, low in the current year of masting and high in the year prior. Less strong was the increase in dry season radiation between prior and mast years. Masting events showed no relationship to annual stem increment. Masting intensity was reduced after two caterpillar attacks. Fallen-leaf phosphorus concentration increased in the inter-mast interval, and that for potassium peaked mid-interval. A drier dry season prior to masting may have increased tree carbon, while a wetter one increased nutrient uptake by roots and mycorrhizas. A rooting–fruiting trade-off in carbon is suggested. The long-term stochastic driver appears to be dry season rainfall. Synchrony across masting trees may be enhanced by equilibration of nutrients across the mycorrhizal–root network. A life-history strategy determined by mineral nutrient resource dynamics provides the best explanation and advanced model of the observed pattern of events.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Section for Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern 1 , Altenbergrain 21, CH-3013 Bern, Switzerland",
    "Department of Plant Science, University of Buea 2 , POB 63, Buea, South-West Region, Cameroon",
    "Research and Development Section, PAMOL Plantations Plc, Lobe Oil Palm Estate 3 , PMB 3, Ekondo Titi, South-West Region, Cameroon",
    "Tropical Plant Production and Agricultural Systems Modelling, Georg-August-University 4 , Grisebachstraße 6, DE-37077 Göttingen, Germany"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "David M. Newbery",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0307-3489"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sarah Schwan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "George B. Chuyong",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0235-211X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Godlove A. Neba"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Culbertson E. Etta"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Julian M. Norghauer",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6484-6879"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Martin Worbes",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8505-6753"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8d0p4ek8e4gj1.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1098/rsos.260234",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13730661/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "8d0p4ek8e4gj1",
  "issns": [
    "2054-5703"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/11/260234/484002/Mast-fruiting-in-a-large-tropical-African-legume",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Ecology"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Ecology, Conservation, and Global Change Biology"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1110|Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W4362634105",
  "pdf_url": "https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article-pdf/doi/10.1098/rsos.260234/6175140/rsos.260234.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13730661",
  "pmid": "42979373",
  "published": "2026-11-04",
  "publisher": "The Royal Society",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8d0p4ek8e4gj1.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T12:20:47Z",
      "native_id": "10.1098/rsos.260234",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/11/260234/484002/Mast-fruiting-in-a-large-tropical-African-legume"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T15:20:46Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13730661",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13730661"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-07T12:23:10Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13730661",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.260234"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "heading:Ecology",
      "subfield": "ecology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Mast fruiting in a large tropical African legume tree species and the mineral nutrient limitation hypothesis",
  "title_text": "Mast fruiting in a large tropical African legume tree species and the mineral nutrient limitation hypothesis",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-07T12:23:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8d0p4ek8e4gj1",
  "venue": "Royal Society Open Science",
  "versions": []
}