杉木N、P代谢对模拟土壤增温及隔离降雨的响应

全球气候变化改变了陆地生态系统植物的生理状态,使植物氮(N)、磷(P)代谢发生了变化。为揭示全球气候变暖及干旱环境下植物N、P代谢特征的变化,以典型的亚热带植物杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)为研究对象,按照两因素两水平试验设计设置对照、增温(+5℃)、隔离降雨(-50%)和增温×隔离降雨4个处理,根据"主干法"确定针叶龄级,采集一年生、二年生、三年生及四年生叶片,同时收集每个处理的凋落叶,分别测定鲜叶及凋落叶的生态化学计量学特征,并计算其N、P吸收率。结果表明:(1)增温及隔离降雨对凋落叶N浓度及C/N比值均无显著影响,隔离降雨使凋落叶P浓度显著增加23.32%,C/P比值显著下降18.57%(P0.05)。(2)增温、增温×隔离降雨处理使杉木二年生鲜叶N浓度较对照组均有显著差异(P0.05),三、四年生叶片N浓度在隔离降雨处理下分别极显著增加18.15%和25.33%(P0.01),增温及隔离降雨使P浓度均呈下降趋势但未造成显著差异。(3)N吸收率(NRE)在处理间及叶龄间均无显著差异;P吸收率(PRE)随叶龄增加呈下降趋势,其中仅隔离降雨处理下不同叶龄杉木叶PRE未有显著差异。(4)增温、隔离降雨及二者交互作用均增加鲜叶N浓度及NRE之间拟合关系,其中增温及增温×隔离降雨拟合度呈显著相关(P0.05),而增温、隔离降雨及二者共同作用均显著降低鲜叶P浓度及PRE的拟合关系(P0.05),其中隔离降雨处理对其影响最大。在中亚热带地区,杉木生长受P元素限制显著,土壤温度和水分都是叶片P素变化的重要因素,而杉木叶片N素对水分较为敏感,适当的水分亏缺能使叶片的N浓度增加,尤其对成熟叶片影响显著。     

准噶尔盆地伊犁郁金香稳定碳同位素组成变化特征

选取准噶尔盆地古尔班通古特沙漠南缘9个样地中的伊犁郁金香(Tulipa il iensis )自然居群, 通过测定各居群中伊犁郁金香的稳定碳同位素组成d13C)、叶片和土壤中全氮、全磷、全钾以及水分含量, 分析伊犁郁金香d13C值与上述因子之间的相互关系。结果表明: 不同生境间伊犁郁金香d13C值差异不显著, 水分利用方式可能受其基因型的控制而较为保守, 同时在一定程度上也受生长环境中环境因子变化的影响, 因而会有小的变幅; 除了土壤中全钾含量之外, 伊犁郁金香的叶片全氮、全磷、全钾、叶片水分含量以及土壤全氮、全磷和土壤水分含量在不同生境间均存在显著差异; 其中伊犁郁金香叶片和土壤中的全 氮含量与d13C值呈显著正相关; 随着该植物叶片和土壤中水分含量的下降, 伊犁郁金香d13C值显著增大, 水分利用效率(WUE)明显提高。说明伊犁郁金香d13C值是植物的遗传学因子和环境因子共同作用的结果, 其叶片及土壤中的氮素含量和有效水分含量是影响伊犁郁金香d13C值的关键因子。     

古尔班通古特沙漠某些短命植物叶片N、P化学计量特征的季节变化

短命植物是荒漠生态系统的重要组成部分。为了解短命植物叶片N、P化学计量特征随生长季变化的特点,选择古尔班通古特沙漠6种优势短命植物(3种一年生短命植物,3种多年生类短命植物)为研究对象,对比了2种生活型短命植物叶片N、P化学计量特征随生长季变化特点。结果表明,3种一年生短命植物尖喙牻牛儿苗(Erodium oxyrrhynchum)、小花荆芥(Nepeta micrantha)以及条叶庭芥(Alyssum linifolium)N含量平均值(±标准差)分别为(11.23±7.16)、(14.11±6.38)和(10.85±6.14)mg·g–1;P含量平均值分别为(2.82±0.73)、(3.12±1.24)和(3.43±0.55)mg·g–1;3种多年生类短命植物独尾草(Eremurus chinensis)、雅葱(Scorzonera pusilla)和簇花芹(Soranthus meyeri)N含量的平均值分别为(19.97±5.94)(15.08±4.01)和(17.94±9.03)mg·g–1;P含量平均值分别为(3.55±0.83)、(2.73±1.11)和(5.03±0.65)mg·g–1。由此可见,短命植物在生长过程中叶片N-P化学计量特征存在一定差异。各物种N、P含量在生长初期都大于其它生长季节,在生长旺季随叶片生物量增加,N、P含量呈下降趋势;而在生长末季N、P含量又有所回升。相关性分析表明,不同生活型短命植物元素间的关系存在差异,但同一生活型短命植物元素间的关系并无显著差异,体现了种内一致性。     

海南不同生活型植物叶片和根系C、N、P化学计量特征

为了解热带地区植物的营养元素利用策略,对海南3个生活型的9种植物的叶片和根系碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)含量及化学计量比进行分析,包括车前(Plantago asiatica)、蒭雷草(Thuarea involuta)、木耳菜(Psidium guajava)、桑(Morus alba)、臭黄荆(Premnaligustroides)、彩叶朱槿(Hibiscusrosa-sinensis)和厚叶榕(Ficusmicrocarpavar.crassifolia)、海岸桐(Guettarda speciosa)和番石榴(Psidium guajava)。结果表明,不同生活型间的元素含量和化学计量比没有显著差异;叶片C、N、P含量高于根系,叶片的C、N含量与根系的呈显著正相关,P含量与根系的呈显著负相关。C∶P与N∶P低于全国和全球尺度,说明该地区植物具有较高的生长速率。小于14的N∶P表明海南热带植物的生长主要受N限制。这揭示了海南热带植物不同生活型的营养元素利用策略相似,虽然受N限制,海南的植物仍具有较高的N、P固持能力和生长速率。     

华南地区3种入侵植物与本地植物叶片建成成本的比较

生物量建成成本作为衡量植物生物量建成所需能量的指标, 反映了植物的能量利用策略, 较低的建成成本可能会增加入侵种的竞争优势。本研究以华南地区3种危害严重的入侵植物薇甘菊(Mikania micrantha)、三裂叶蟛蜞菊(Wedelia trilobata)和五爪金龙(Ipomoea cairica)为研究对象, 选取与它们伴生或近缘的本地植物鸡矢藤(Paederia scandens)、蟛蜞菊(W. chinensis)和厚藤(I. pescaprae)作为对照, 比较了相同环境下培养的入侵植物和本地植物叶片建成成本的差异。结果表明, 这3种入侵植物的叶片单位质量建成成本(CCmass)和单位面积建成成本(CCarea)均低于它们的本地对照种。将3种入侵植物作为一组, 它们的叶片平均CCmass (1.17 g glucose/g)和CCarea (22.34 g glucose/m2)显著低于本地种的叶片平均CCmass (1.32 g glucose/g)和CCarea (36.93 g glucose/m2)。本研究结果进一步证实, 入侵植物与本地植物相比具有较低的叶片建成成本, 这可能是它们入侵成功的原因之一。同时, 本研究通过分析叶片建成成本与叶片碳浓度、氮浓度、灰分含量(Ash)以及去灰分热值(Hc)的相互关系, 探讨了影响入侵种和本地种叶片建成成本的可能因素。结果显示, 入侵植物具有较低的叶片建成成本是与其较低的碳浓度和氮浓度以及较高的灰分含量相联系的。     

凉水天然阔叶红松林植物叶片与细根的N∶P化学计量特征

叶片与细根是植物体地上和地下部分重要的营养器官,二者的化学计量学特征的关联性研究是探讨植物适应策略的重要方面。本研究对凉水国家级自然保护区天然阔叶红松林中34种常见植物叶片与不同根序级间氮含量、磷含量和氮磷比的差异性及相关性进行了研究。结果表明,氮、磷元素在不同器官中的含量有显著差异,且不同器官中的氮、磷元素具有一定的相关性;叶片的氮、磷含量和氮磷比高于细根,1~2级细根的氮、磷含量和氮磷比高于3~5级细根;植物叶片和各级细根的氮含量与其磷含量呈显著正相关,氮磷含量相关性高低顺序为:1~2级根叶片3~5级根;叶片与1~2级细根的氮含量、磷含量以及氮磷比均呈显著相关,叶片与3~5级根的氮含量呈显著相关;在不同生长型植物中,乔木、灌木和草本植物的叶氮、叶磷含量、叶氮磷比与不同级细根的氮、磷含量、氮磷比呈显著正相关。本研究阐明了植物叶片与不同根序级间氮磷化学计量学特征的相关性,有助于理解植物各性状之间的相互作用以及植物生长过程中对资源的利用和分配。     

鄱阳湖湿地两种优势植物叶片C、N、P动态特征

2011年2—6月在鄱阳湖南矶湿地国家级自然保护区逐月测定了灰化苔草(Carex cinerascens)、南荻(Triarrhena lutarioriparia)叶片C、N、P含量及其地上生物量,以阐明鄱阳湖湿地优势植物C、N、P含量及化学计量比动态特征与控制因子,探讨湿地养分利用与限制状况。结果表明：1）两种优势植物叶有机碳含量变化范围分别为365.3—386.6 mg/g和352.6—393.2 mg/g,平均值(?标准差)分别为(375.5?17.4) mg/g和(371.7?12.5) mg/g;叶N含量分别为6.96—17.59 mg/g和5.50—20.68 mg/g,平均值分别为(11.35?1.40) mg/g和(11.54?0.84) mg/g;叶P含量变化范围为0.65—2.14 mg/g和0.57—2.25 mg/g,平均含量为(1.56?0.69) mg/g和(1.55?0.68) mg/g。两种植物C:N、C:P、N:P平均值分别为37.65、413.60、9.62和41.05、410.29、9.57,C、N、P及其化学计量比种间差异不显著(P>0.05)。2）气温与地上生物量是N、P及其化学计量比季节变化的主要控制因子,气温和生物量对两种优势植物叶片氮、磷含量的影响要高于对叶有机碳含量的影响。3）植物C:N、C:P与地上生物量变化趋势基本一致,显示N、P养分利用效率随植物的快速生长而提高;根据两种优势植物及土壤N、P含量与化学计量比来判断,研究区植物更多地受氮限制。     

N、P停止施入后植物叶片主要元素含量及化学计量特征的响应

研究植物叶片C、N、P化学计量特征,有助于深入了解植物对环境的适应策略。为探明不同植物叶片主要元素含量及化学计量对N、P停止施入后的响应,依托野外长期实验,测定科尔沁沙质草地优势种绿珠藜(Chenopodium glaucum,2010年采集)、芦苇(Phragmites australis,2010年和2019年均采集)、野大麻(Cannabis sativa,2019年采集)成熟叶片的C、N、P含量。结果表明:停止施肥后,3个优势种(绿珠藜、芦苇、野大麻)的叶片C含量在各处理间差异不显著; N停止施入2年后(2010),绿珠藜叶片N含量有显著差异(P=0.001); P停止施入的第2年,绿珠藜(P0.001)和芦苇(P=0.029)叶片的P含量在各处理间差异显著; N、P停止输入11年后,芦苇和野大麻的N含量在各处理间差异不显著,芦苇叶片P含量在P处理仍有差异,野大麻叶片P含量无差异; N、P停止施入2年后,绿珠藜和芦苇的N∶P分别为5.33～12.63和19.78～24.63,N、P停止施入11年后,野大麻和芦苇的N∶P为4.96～5.67、15.86～20.38; N+P处理促进了植物叶片对N、P的吸收,N、P的添加对植物叶片N、P含量的影响是可逆和短期的。该结果可为科尔沁草地生态系统恢复的施肥管理提供科学基础。     

民勤荒漠区主要灌木叶片C、N、P化学计量特征的季节变化

为探究不同灌木叶片C、N、P化学计量特征季节变化规律,揭示荒漠植物对环境的适应策略,以民勤荒漠区4种主要灌木梭梭、沙拐枣、唐古特白刺、柠条锦鸡儿为研究对象,分析不同荒漠植物在生长季内叶片的C、N、P含量及其计量比变化特征。结果表明:(1)沙拐枣、柠条锦鸡儿叶片C含量显著高于唐古特白刺、梭梭(P<0.05),且唐古特白刺显著高于梭梭,沙拐枣与柠条锦鸡儿差异不显著;唐古特白刺叶片N含量显著高于其他3种植物叶片;唐古特白刺叶片P含量最高,并显著高于柠条锦鸡儿,但两者均与梭梭和沙拐枣差异不显著。(2)4种荒漠植物叶片C、N、P含量及其计量比各指标在生长季节内的变异系数表现为:P(28.34%)>C∶P(24.70%)>N∶P(19.07%)>N(17.49%)>C∶N(16.89%)>C(2.91%)。(3)C含量与N、P含量呈不显著正相关关系;除沙拐枣,其他叶片N含量与P含量呈显著正相关关系,4种荒漠植物叶片N∶P值的变化主要由P含量变化决定。(4)植物叶片C、N、C∶N、C∶P和N∶P含量的变异主要受植物种类影响,植物叶片P含量的变异主要受生长季节影响。研究发现,民勤荒漠4种灌木植物叶片C、N、P含量及C∶N、C∶P和N∶P在生长季内因物种而不同,它们在生长季内变异系数在植物种之间也存在差异。     

地膜覆盖和有机肥施用对农田土壤和作物C、N、P化学计量学的影响

为了解长期地膜覆盖和施用有机肥对农田土壤和作物C、N、P化学计量学的影响,于2015年采集沈阳农业大学长期地膜覆盖和施肥定位试验(建于1987年)土壤和玉米植株不同组织(根、秸秆、叶片、籽粒),测定了土壤和作物C、N、P含量。结果表明:长期地膜覆盖和施用有机肥均对土壤pH产生显著影响(P0.01),且两者存在显著的交互作用(P=0.001);地膜覆盖对土壤全碳、全氮、全磷、碱解氮、有效磷,以及土壤C∶N∶P化学计量学均没有显著影响(P0.05),而施用有机肥会显著增加土壤全碳、全氮、全磷含量以及碱解氮和有效磷含量(P0.01),降低土壤C/P和N/P(P0.01);除了叶片N含量和籽粒P含量及C/P以外,地膜覆盖对玉米各组织中C、N、P含量及C∶N∶P化学计量均没有显著影响(P0.05);而有机肥施用显著增加了玉米各组织中N含量(P0.05),从而降低C/N(P0.05),但只增加了根和籽实中P含量(P0.05),降低了玉米籽实的C/P(P0.001)。综上所述,土壤和作物的C、N、P化学计量学随长期施用有机肥而变化,但受地膜覆盖的影响较小。     

氮磷复合肥添加对高寒草甸金露梅灌丛中豆科植物的影响

以高寒草甸金露梅灌丛为研究对象,通过添加不同量的氮磷复合肥NH4H2PO4(0、40、80、120 g·m-2),测定了花苜蓿(Medicago ruthenica Linn.)、异叶米口袋(Gueldenstaedtia diversifolia Maxim)、甘肃棘豆(Oxytropis kansuensis Bunge.)的地上生物量、叶片氮磷含量和土壤氮磷含量,探讨了添加氮磷之后豆科植物的叶片氮磷含量、N:P比值在处理间和种间的差异以及它们与土壤养分之间的关系.结果表明,添加氮磷使花苜蓿和异叶米口袋叶片中的磷含量和N:P比值发生显著变化,而对叶片氦含量的影响不显著.氮磷的添加对甘肃棘豆的氮磷含量无显著影响.就总的豆科植物而言,不论种内还是种间,平均可变性都是磷变化最大,氮变化最小,N:P比值居中.植物叶片的氮磷含量以及N:P比值与土壤速效氮磷没有显著相关性.比较不同处理下的数据可知,添加氮磷复合肥主要增加了豆科植物对磷素的养分吸收.三个物种对氮磷的吸收能力不同,叶片的氮磷含量比N:P比值更能反映植物对氮磷的吸收利用情况.一次性施用氮磷复合肥不能提高第二年的氮供应能力,但是会提高土壤的有效磷供应.为保护豆科牧草的产量,对于金露梅灌丛草地施用磷酸二氢铵的量不应超过80 g·m-2.     

松嫩草地80种草本植物叶片氮磷化学计量特征

 以松嫩草地常见草本植物为研究对象, 分析了各生活型和功能群叶片氮磷化学计量特征。结果显示: 松嫩草地80种草本植物的叶片氮、磷质量浓度分别为(24.2 ± 0.96) mg·g^–1和(2.0 ± 0.10) mg·g^–1, 面积浓度分别为(13.0 ± 0.54) mg·cm^–2和(1.0 ± 0.05) mg·cm^–2, 氮磷比为13.0 ± 0.39, 氮磷比与叶片磷质量浓度、叶片氮、磷面积浓度有显著相关关系; 松嫩草地植物生长受到氮限制。一年生植物叶片氮、磷质量浓度和变异系数高于其他生活型, 各生活型之间氮面积浓度和氮磷比差异不显著。豆科植物叶片氮的质量浓度、面积浓度和氮磷比高于其他功能群。在不同生活型或功能群之间, 植物叶片磷的面积浓度差异不显著, 都在1.0 mg·cm^–2左右; 适当地增加群落中豆科植物的比例, 可能有助于提高松嫩草地产量和质量。     

内蒙古草地叶片磷含量与土壤有效磷的关系

植物体内特别是叶片的P含量特征及其与环境的关系一直是植物生理生态学研究的一个热点。已有研究发现, 与全球植物数据相比, 中国植物叶片的P含量相对较低, 导致N/P高于全球平均水平, 并推测这是由于中国土壤全P含量较低引起的。该研究选取内蒙古草地来验证这一假设, 分析了36个样地57种优势植物叶片的P含量与土壤全P和有效P含量的关系。主要结果如下: 内蒙古草地叶片P含量较低而N/P较高, 与之前的研究结论一致; 在种群、样地和物种3个水平上, 叶片P含量、N/P与土壤P含量都没有显著的相关关系, 尽管土壤有效P含量的解释力高于土壤全P; 另一方面, 内蒙古草地土壤的有效P含量与全国土壤普查的结果接近, 高于美国及澳大利亚的平均值, 但低于世界土壤信息库里报道的全球土壤有效P平均值。鉴于内蒙古草地土壤的全P和有效P含量都不能准确反映叶片P含量, 且土壤的有效P含量也并不明显低于世界其他地区, 因此植物叶片P含量低、N/P高是由于土壤P含量低引起的这一假设在内蒙古草地不成立, 而且叶片P含量也与土壤P的可利用性无关。     

Impacts of nitrogen addition on foliar nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Mount Wuyi

Aims Our purpose was to explore the effects of nitrogen addition on foliar nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and N:P stoichiometry and to assess their differences among different species and functional groups.
Methods N addition experiment has been conducted in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Mount Wuyi, Fujian Province since 2011. Foliar concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were measured and foliar stoichiometry was estimated in tree, shrub, herb, fern and moss species following the N addition treatments from 2013 to 2015.
Important findings Generally, foliar N increased for almost all species and herbaceous plants are much more sensitive than trees and shrubs under N addition. Foliar N of Castanopsis carlesii, Amomum villosum, Woodwardia japonica increased significantly under N addition. Foliar P for most species was sensitive to the N addition. Foliar P of herbaceous plants increased significantly but foliar P of Leucobryum chlorophyllosum decreased significantly. The results showed the subtropical evergreen forest in Mount Wuyi was mainly limited by P and mean foliar N:P ratios enhanced from 18.67 to 19.72 under N addition, indicating that the strength of P limitation was enhanced by N addition. N:P ratios of the dominant arboreal species in the communities tended to be stable, while N:P ratios of herbaceous plants and shrubs increased. The changes in N:P ratios were mainly determined by P dynamics instead of N dynamics under N addition, and our results confirmed that increasing N availability can affect P cycling.     

Variation in nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of wetland plants

The use of nutrient concentrations in plant biomass as easily measured indicators of nutrient availability and limitation has been the subject of a controversial debate. In particular, it has been questioned whether nutrient concentrations are mainly species' traits or mainly determined by nutrient availability, and whether plant species have similar or different relative nutrient requirements. This review examines how nitrogen and phosphorus concentration and the N:P ratio in wetland plants vary among species and sites, and how they are related to nutrient availability and limitation. We analyse data from field studies in European non-forested wetlands, from fertilisation experiments in these communities and from growth experiments with wetland plants. Overall, the P concentration was more variable than the N concentration, while variation in N:P ratios was intermediate. Field data showed that the N concentration varies more among species than among sites, whereas the N:P ratio varies more among sites than among species, and the P concentration varies similarly among both. Similar patterns of variation were found in fertilisation experiments and in growth experiments under controlled nutrient supply. Nutrient concentrations and N:P ratios in the vegetation were poorly correlated with various measures of nutrient availability in soil, but they clearly responded to fertilisation in the field and to nutrient supply in growth experiments. In these experiments, biomass N:P ratios ranged from 3 to 40 and primarily reflected the relative availabilities of N and P, although N:P ratios of plants grown at the same nutrient supply could vary three-fold among species. The effects of fertilisation with N or P on the biomass production of wetland vegetation were well related to the N:P ratios of the vegetation in unfertilised plots, but not to N or P concentrations, which supports the idea that N:P ratios, rather than N or P concentrations, indicate the type of nutrient limitation. However, other limiting or stressing factors may influence N:P ratios, and the responses of individual plant species to fertilisation cannot be predicted from their N:P ratios. Therefore, N:P ratios should only be used to assess which nutrient limits the biomass production at the vegetation level and only when factors other than N or P are unlikely to be limiting.     

峨眉冷杉幼苗叶片功能特征及其N、P化学计量比对模拟大气氮沉降的响应

通过人工施氮模拟大气氮沉降,研究了施氮对峨眉冷杉(Abies fabiri)幼苗叶片功能特征、氮和磷含量及其化学计量比的影响,以及幼苗对氮素的积累效应。结果表明:经过2个生长季节的施氮处理(2009年和2010年,N2)幼苗的总生物量、叶干重、叶重比、叶片氮和磷含量及其N:P分别高于对照处理11.29%、46.70%、41.40%、37.30%、22.33%和6.43%,而比叶面积则降低了6.61%,其中叶干重、叶重比和叶片氮含量与对照处理差异显著(P<0.05),N:P差异极显著(P<0.01),并且叶干重与叶片氮含量具有较强的线性相关;与经1个生长季节施氮处理(2009年,N1)的幼苗总生物量、叶干重、叶重比、比叶面积、叶片氮和磷含量及其N:P的比较分析表明,除叶重比和比叶面积外,其他指标N2均高于N1;人工施氮显著促进了幼苗叶片的生长,提高了叶片氮、磷含量及其N:P,但也反映幼苗生长仍受氮素限制,同时,峨眉冷杉幼苗具有氮素积累效应。     

亚高寒草甸植物群落种多度分布关系及相似性对氮磷添加的响应

以青藏高原亚高寒草甸为研究对象,采用随机区组设计,通过连续4a添加N、P,研究了不同施肥(N、P、N+P)处理下群落物种丰富度、种多度分布模式以及群落相似性的变化特征。结果显示:(1)N、N+P连续添加4年后,随N素添加水平的增加,草地植物群落物种丰富度逐渐降低(P0.001);种多度分布曲线的斜率逐渐增大;N+P添加处理对植物群落物种丰富度和种多度分布(SAD)曲线的影响较单独N添加处理更显著,如N15P15处理下群落物种丰富度的降幅最大,达对照群落的65.5%;(2)单一N或N+P处理中,不同添加量间的植被组成趋异,而相同添加量的植被组成趋同(stress level=0.152);(3)N、N+P添加引起刷状根的丛生型禾本科植物逐渐在植物群落中占据优势;(4)P素添加对群落物种丰富度、种多度分布曲线、群落相似性和不同生长型组成及比例的影响不显著;(5)植物生长型特征和N/P添加处理可解释56.97%植物群落的物种多度分布特征。这些结果表明:亚高寒草甸地区N添加引起植物群落组成的重新排序、优势种的变化、SAD曲线逐渐陡峭,群落的相似性增加;N富集时,添加P素会增加N素的利用效率,且群落结构受N、P供应水平的影响。     

Foliar nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics of three Chilean Nothofagus (Fagaceae) species in relation to leaf lifespan

This study examined foliar nutrient dynamics and nutrient resorption (retranslocation) in three species of Chilean Nothofagus (Fagaceae) that differed in leaf lifespan and elevational distribution. In our central Chile study area the elevations at which these three species are most abundant increase from N. obliqua (deciduous) at low elevations to N. dombeyi at intermediate elevation and N. pumilio (deciduous) at higher elevations up to treeline. We sampled a single stand at 1680 m in which all three species co-occurred. Nothofagus dombeyi leaves were structurally heavier, with specific leaf mass approximately twice that of the two deciduous species. On a concentration basis, foliar N increased in the order N. dombeyi < N. pumilio < N. obliqua and foliar P increased in the order N. dombeyi < N. obliqua < N. pumilio. However, when the differences in specific leaf mass among species were taken into account by calculating N and P content on a leaf area basis, N. dombeyi had the greatest N and P content. N and P remained relatively constant throughout most of the 4-yr N. dombeyi leaf lifespan, then decreased prior to abscission. Nothofagus dombeyi resorbed significantly less N (44-50%) than did the two deciduous species (63-78%), both on proportional and absolute bases. In contrast, N. pumilio and N. dombeyi resorbed similar amounts of P prior to abscission (40-50%), whereas no significant resorption of P from leaves of N. obliqua was noted. We use these results to clarify the relative importance of environmental gradients associated with elevation vs. genetically fixed leaf lifespans in controlling the nutrient dynamics of these congeneric tree species.     

Leaf nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations of understory woody species regulated by soil phosphorus availability in a tropical forest

Leaf soluble sugars and starch are important components of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs), which are crucial for plant growth, development, and reproduction. Although there is a large body of research focusing on the regulation of plant NSC (soluble sugars and starch) concentrations, the response of foliar NSC concentrations to continuous nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition is still unclear, especially in tropical forests. Here, we used a long‐term manipulative field experiment to investigate the response of leaf NSC concentrations to continuous N and P addition (3‐, 5‐, and 8‐year fertilization) in a tropical forest in southern China. We found significant species‐specific variation in leaf NSC concentrations in this tropical forest. Phosphorus addition dramatically decreased both leaf soluble sugar and starch concentrations, while N addition had no significant effects on leaf soluble sugar and starch concentrations. These results suggest that, in plants growing in P‐limiting tropical soil, leaf NSC concentrations are regulated by soil P availability rather than N availability. Moreover, the negative relationships between NSC concentrations and leaf mass per area (LMA) revealed that NSCs could supply excess carbon (C) for leaf expansion under P addition. This was further supported by the increased structural P fraction after P fertilization in our previous study at the same site. We conclude that soil P availability strongly regulates leaf starch and soluble sugar concentrations in the tropical tree species included in this study. The response of leaf NSC concentrations to long‐term N and P addition can reflect the close relationships between plant C dynamics and soil nutrient availability in tropical forests. Maintaining relatively higher leaf NSC concentrations in tropical plants can be a potential mechanism for adapting to P‐deficient conditions.     

Characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry across components of forest ecosystem in Shaanxi Province

Aims Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry between vegetation, litter, and soil were important for understanding biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems, but remain poorly understood. Here, our aims were to study characteristics of N and P stoichiometry for the plant, litter, and soil and the interactions between its components across forest ecosystems in Shaanxi Province.Methods A total of 121 sampling sites, covering the most main forest types in Shaanxi, were established across the whole province in 2012. And N and P concentration of vegetation (tree and understory), litter and soil layers were measured for each site.Important findings 1) There were significant differences in the N and P stoichiometry among the forest ecosystem components (p < 0.05). N and P contents were higher in understory and litter layer, and lower in tree and soil. Whereas the N:P was slightly different, highest in litter and lowest in the soil layer, with little differences among remaining components. The contents of N, P and N:P ranged from 0.72 to11.99 mg·g^-1, 0.47 to 1.07 mg·g^-1, and 1.86 to 14.84, respectively. Within top 1 m soil layer N content and N:P decreased with soil depth (p < 0.05), however the P content did not exhibit significant changes. 2) N and P contents, and N:P of each component were higher in broadleaf forest than in coniferous forest, although the difference is not significant. 3) N was positively correlated with P content except for soil and N:P was negatively correlated with P content, but positively correlated with N content within each component. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation for N and P stoichiometric characteristics between litter layer and tree, herb, soil layer. 4) Although spatial pattern of N and P contents, and N:P differed in relation to longitude, latitude, and elevation for forest ecosystem components, a stable distribution was exhibited in general.