川西亚高山天然次生林不同演替阶段土壤-微生物生物量及其化学计量特征

开展不同恢复演替阶段天然次生林土壤-微生物生物量及其化学计量特征关系的研究,可为有效和持续管理川西亚高山次生林提供科学依据。以川西亚高山米亚罗林区20世纪60、70、80年代3种采伐迹地经自然恢复演替形成的次生林（SF60、SF70和SF80）和岷江冷杉（Abies faxoniana）原始林（PF）为研究对象,探讨了表层（0-20 cm）土壤有机碳（C_soil）、全氮（N_soil）、全磷（P_soil）含量及微生物生物量碳（C_mic）、氮（N_mic）、磷（P_mic）含量随自然恢复演替的变化特征,分析了它们的化学计量比与微生物熵（qMB）之间的相互关系。结果表明：（1）随着恢复演替年限的增加,C_soil和N_mic含量显著降低,N_soil和P_soil及C_mic和P_mic含量呈现先升后降的显著变化趋势,且3种次生林的表层土壤碳、氮、磷及其微生物生物量的含量均低于PF。（2）次生林恢复年限对土壤微生物熵C（qMBC）和P（qMBP）没有显著影响,但对土壤微生物熵N（qMBN）存在显著影响。（3）土壤-微生物化学计量不平衡性C_imb：N_imb随自然恢复演替进程呈先降后升的显著变化趋势,C_imb：P_imb呈不显著的降低趋势,N_imb：P_imb呈现显著降低趋势。冗余分析显示,N_imb：P_imb和C_mic：N_mic是影响qMB变化的主导因子,其中N_imb：P_imb解释了qMB变化的62.6%,说明土壤氮磷及其活性组分（N_mic和P_mic）含量变化可能会影响到qMB变化。综上可知,次生林近60 年的自然恢复演替引起了土壤碳氮磷含量的显著变化;天然次生林土壤-微生物生物量碳氮磷化学计量比主要受到氮磷的协同影响,且SF60土壤质量状况较差,为此,对SF60林分可适当增加氮素供给以促进其林木生长,进而提升土壤质量。     

植物残体对青藏高原高寒草甸土壤、微生物和胞外酶C∶N∶P化学计量特征的影响

植物残体是引起土壤、微生物和胞外酶C∶N∶P改变的关键因素,但是其作用机理尚不明确。本研究以青藏高原东缘高寒草甸为对象,通过测定土壤、微生物生物量和胞外酶活性等指标,探究移除地上植物或根系及植物残体添加对土壤、微生物和胞外酶C∶N∶P的影响。结果表明: 与无人为扰动草甸相比,移除地上植物显著降低了土壤C∶N(变幅为-23.7%,下同)、C∶P(-14.7%)、微生物生物生物量C∶P、N∶P,显著提高了微生物生物量C∶N、胞外酶C∶N∶P。与移除地上植物相比,移除地上植物和根系显著降低了土壤C∶N(-11.6%)、C∶P(-24.0%)、N∶P(-23.3%)和微生物生物量C∶N,显著提高了微生物生物量N∶P和胞外酶N∶P;移除地上植物后添加植物残体显著提高了微生物生物量C∶N、C∶P和胞外酶C∶N,显著降低了胞外酶N∶P。与移除地上植物和根系相比,移除地上植物和根系后添加植物残体显著降低了土壤C∶N(-16.4%)、微生物生物量C∶P、N∶P和胞外酶N∶P,显著提高了胞外酶C∶N。综上可知,去除植物显著影响土壤、微生物和胞外酶的C∶N∶P,微生物生物量和胞外酶C∶N∶P对植物残体的响应更为敏感。有无根系是添加植物残体时土壤、微生物和胞外酶的生态化学计量稳定性强弱的关键所在。添加植物残体的措施适用于植物根系尚且完好的草甸,有利于高寒草甸土壤碳固存,对没有根系的草甸土壤可能不适用,会增加土壤CO₂排放。     

Effects of three global change drivers on terrestrial C:N:P stoichiometry: a global synthesis

Over the last few decades, there has been an increasing number of controlled‐manipulative experiments to investigate how plants and soils might respond to global change. These experiments typically examined the effects of each of three global change drivers [i.e., nitrogen (N) deposition, warming, and elevated CO₂] on primary productivity and on the biogeochemistry of carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) across different terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we capitalize on this large amount of information by performing a comprehensive meta‐analysis (>2000 case studies worldwide) to address how C:N:P stoichiometry of plants, soils, and soil microbial biomass might respond to individual vs. combined effects of the three global change drivers. Our results show that (i) individual effects of N addition and elevated CO₂ on C:N:P stoichiometry are stronger than warming, (ii) combined effects of pairs of global change drivers (e.g., N addition + elevated CO₂, warming + elevated CO₂) on C:N:P stoichiometry were generally weaker than the individual effects of each of these drivers, (iii) additive interactions (i.e., when combined effects are equal to or not significantly different from the sum of individual effects) were more common than synergistic or antagonistic interactions, (iv) C:N:P stoichiometry of soil and soil microbial biomass shows high homeostasis under global change manipulations, and (v) C:N:P responses to global change are strongly affected by ecosystem type, local climate, and experimental conditions. Our study is one of the first to compare individual vs. combined effects of the three global change drivers on terrestrial C:N:P ratios using a large set of data. To further improve our understanding of how ecosystems might respond to future global change, long‐term ecosystem‐scale studies testing multifactor effects on plants and soils are urgently required across different world regions.     

Dynamics of C,N, P and S in grassland soils: a model

We have developed a model to simulate the dynamics of C, N, P, and S in cultivated and uncultivated grassland soils. The model uses a monthly time step and can simulate the dynamics of soil organic matter over long time periods (100 to 10,000 years). It was used to simulate the impact of cultivation (100 years) on soil organic matter dynamics, nutrient mineralization, and plant production and to simulate soil formation during a 10,000 year run. The model was validated by comparing the simulated impact of cultivation on soil organic matter C, N, P, and S dynamics with observed data from sites in the northern Great Plains. The model correctly predicted that N and P are the primary limiting nutrients for plant production and simulated the response of the system to inorganic N, P, and S fertilizer. Simulation results indicate that controlling the C:P and C:S ratios of soil organic matter fractions as functions of the labile P and S levels respectively, allows the model to correctly simulate the observed changes in C:P and C:S ratios in the soil and to simulate the impact of varying the labile P and S levels on soil P and S net mineralization rates.     

全球气候变化对陆地植物碳氮磷生态化学计量学特征的影响

全球气候变化背景下生物地球化学循环的响应规律和陆地植物适应对策已受到广泛关注.本文在分析气候变暖和降水变化对不同生态系统植物C∶N∶P的影响、CO₂浓度升高对不同光合途径物种元素的影响,以及氮沉降对土壤 植物元素影响的短期和长期效应等基础上,从植物生理特性和土壤有效营养元素变化等方面揭示了其可能存在的内在机理,以期为研究C、N、P化学元素在土壤 植物之间传递与调节机制、陆地生态系统结构和功能,以及生物地球化学元素循环对气候变化的响应提供理论依据.最后提出了该领域研究中存在的问题及对今后研究的展望.     

黄土丘陵区植被类型对土壤微生物量碳氮磷的影响

选择黄土丘陵区延河流域4种典型植被类型下的土壤为研究对象,测定了土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷和相关基本理化性质。结果表明,在此流域的典型天然草地、人工灌木林、人工乔木林和农地中土壤微生物量碳(MBC)的含量范围分别为315.15-400.89、246.56-321.25、267.76-347.05和118.96-245.14 mg/kg,土壤微生物量氮(MBN)的含量范围分别为35.87-47.63、27.63-42.89、24.66-36.20和15.64-22.56 mg/kg,土壤微生物量磷(MBP)的含量范围分别为14.14-22.96、12.89-19.75、11.54-14.40和7.23-11.59 mg/kg;土壤微生物量总体呈现出天然草地最高、人工乔、灌木林次之,且均显著高于农地的趋势,表明退耕还林还草对土壤微生物生物量有明显的促进作用。不同植被类型下,土壤微生物量碳氮比和碳磷比的变化范围分别为7.49-10.87和16.27-24.11,土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷占土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)百分比的范围分别为2.70%-4.85%、2.56%-4.45%、2.08%-5.34%。其中天然草地、人工灌木林和农地土壤的微生物量碳氮比、碳磷比均显著小于人工乔木林(P < 0.05); MBC/SOC在不同植被类型下的差异不显著,MBN/TN和MBP/TP均呈现出天然草地>人工灌木林>人工乔木林和农地的趋势,且差异显著(P < 0.05)。微生物量碳、氮、磷与土壤有机碳、全氮和土壤含水率呈现极显著或显著相关性,与土壤pH值呈现出不同程度的负相关性,表明植被类型对这些与土壤微生物量紧密相关的理化性质也有显著影响。     

Responses of leaf C:N:P stoichiometry to water supply in the desert shrub Zygophyllum xanthoxylum

• Based on the elemental composition of major biochemical molecules associated with different biological functions, the ‘growth rate hypothesis’ proposed that organisms with a higher growth rate would be coupled to lower C:N, especially lower C:P and N:P ratios. However, the applicability of the growth rate hypothesis for plants is unclear, especially for shrubs growing under different water supply.
• We performed an experiment with eight soil moisture levels (soil water content: 4%, 6%, 8%, 13%, 18%, 23%, 26% and 28%) to evaluate the effects of water availability on leaf C:N:P stoichiometry in the shrub Zygophyllum xanthoxylum.
• We found that leaves grew slowly and favored accumulation of P over C and N under both high and low water supply. Thus, leaf C:P and N:P ratios were unimodally related to soil water content, in parallel with individual leaf area and mass. As a result, there were significant positive correlations between leaf C:P and N:P with leaf growth (u).
• Our result that slower‐growing leaves had lower C:P and N:P ratios does not support the growth rate hypothesis, which predicted a negative association of N:P ratio with growth rate, but it is consistent with recent theoretical derivations of growth–stoichiometry relations in plants, where N:P ratio is predicted to increase with increasing growth for very low growth rates, suggesting leaf growth limitation by C and N rather than P for drought and water saturation.

     

Species sorting and stoichiometric plasticity control community C:P ratio of first‐order aquatic consumers

Ecological stoichiometry has proven to be invaluable for understanding consumer response to changes in resource quality. Although interactions between trophic levels occur at the community level, most studies focus on single consumer species. In contrast to individual species, communities may deal with trophic mismatch not only through elemental plasticity but also through changes in species composition. Here, we show that a community of first‐order consumers (e.g. zooplankton) is able to adjust its stoichiometry (C:P) in response to experimentally induced changes in resource quality, but only to a limited extent. Furthermore, using the Price equation framework we show the importance of both elemental plasticity and species sorting. These results illustrate the need for a community perspective in ecological stoichiometry, requiring consideration of species‐specific elemental composition, intraspecific elemental plasticity and species turnover.     

Effects of simulated exudate C:N stoichiometry on dynamics of carbon and microbial community composition in a subalpine coniferous forest of western Sichuan,China

 目前有关森林根系分泌物及其诱导的土壤生态学效应研究主要关注根系碳(C)源输入, 而极少关注根系分泌物氮(N)源输入及其伴随的C:N化学计量特征对土壤过程和功能的影响, 极大地限制了我们对森林根系-土壤-微生物互作机制的深入认识。该研究以川西亚高山天然林和云杉(Picea asperata)人工林土壤为对象, 模拟配制不同C:N化学计量特征(只有N、C:N = 10、C:N = 50、C:N = 100和只有C处理)的根系分泌物溶液进行人工添加试验, 以探究根系分泌物化学计量特征对两种林分土壤碳动态及其微生物群落结构的影响差异。结果表明: 模拟根系分泌物C添加总体促进了两种林分土壤有机质分解激发效应而降低了土壤总碳(TC)含量, 而N添加在一定程度上缓和了两种林分土壤TC含量的降低幅度, 且C添加导致天然林土壤TC含量的降低幅度明显低于土壤N有效性更低的人工林。几种根系分泌物添加处理对两种林分土壤活性和惰性碳库的影响无明显规律。另外, 根系分泌物C添加总体降低了天然林土壤微生物总磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)含量和细菌、放线菌、真菌PLFA含量, 而总体增加人工林土壤微生物PLFA总量和细菌、放线菌、真菌PLFA含量, 并诱导两种林分土壤微生物群落结构(细菌:真菌相对丰度)也发生了各自不同的变化。上述结果表明森林根系分泌物N源输入和土壤N有效性共同调控根系C源输入对土壤有机质分解激发效应的方向和幅度。研究结果为深入揭示典型森林根系分泌物化学计量特征对土壤生物化学循环过程的调控机制提供了一定的理论依据。     

模拟根系分泌物C:N化学计量特征对川西亚高山森林土壤碳动态和微生物群落结构的影响

目前有关森林根系分泌物及其诱导的土壤生态学效应研究主要关注根系碳(C)源输入, 而极少关注根系分泌物氮(N)源输入及其伴随的C:N化学计量特征对土壤过程和功能的影响, 极大地限制了我们对森林根系-土壤-微生物互作机制的深入认识。该研究以川西亚高山天然林和云杉(Picea asperata)人工林土壤为对象, 模拟配制不同C:N化学计量特征(只有N、C:N = 10、C:N = 50、C:N = 100和只有C处理)的根系分泌物溶液进行人工添加试验, 以探究根系分泌物化学计量特征对两种林分土壤碳动态及其微生物群落结构的影响差异。结果表明: 模拟根系分泌物C添加总体促进了两种林分土壤有机质分解激发效应而降低了土壤总碳(TC)含量, 而N添加在一定程度上缓和了两种林分土壤TC含量的降低幅度, 且C添加导致天然林土壤TC含量的降低幅度明显低于土壤N有效性更低的人工林。几种根系分泌物添加处理对两种林分土壤活性和惰性碳库的影响无明显规律。另外, 根系分泌物C添加总体降低了天然林土壤微生物总磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)含量和细菌、放线菌、真菌PLFA含量, 而总体增加人工林土壤微生物PLFA总量和细菌、放线菌、真菌PLFA含量, 并诱导两种林分土壤微生物群落结构(细菌:真菌相对丰度)也发生了各自不同的变化。上述结果表明森林根系分泌物N源输入和土壤N有效性共同调控根系C源输入对土壤有机质分解激发效应的方向和幅度。研究结果为深入揭示典型森林根系分泌物化学计量特征对土壤生物化学循环过程的调控机制提供了一定的理论依据。     

黄土高原典型植被恢复过程土壤与叶片生态化学计量特征

为揭示黄土高原典型人工植被恢复过程中植物叶片与土壤碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)元素变化特征及其交互作用,以延安庙咀沟流域恢复20—40a的刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)、柠条(Caragana korshinskii)、草地和坡耕地(对照)为研究对象,分析了各样地植物叶片和土壤C、N、P化学计量的变化特征及相互关系。结果表明:从20a到40a的恢复过程中,3种植被叶片C含量均显著增加,草地叶片P含量显著升高,而刺槐、柠条叶片N和P含量则显著降低。刺槐、柠条及草地土壤C、N、P含量随着恢复年限的延长而增加,比耕地分别增加了70%—349%、27%—202%、13%—62%(P0.05),其中刺槐的增幅最大。从增速来看,刺槐和柠条林土壤表层C、N增速表现为前期(0—20a)大于后期(20—40a),而草地则相反。在20—40a的恢复过程中,刺槐、柠条叶片C∶N、C∶P均显著增加,草地叶片C∶P、N∶P则显著降低。恢复过程中,土壤C∶P在刺槐和草地中显著增加,而土壤N∶P仅在草地中显著增加,土壤C∶N则没有显著变化。相关性分析显示叶片C和土壤C、N、P显著正相关,叶片N、P和土壤N显著正相关,叶片和土壤N∶P显著正相关,叶片P、C∶P与土壤C、N增速显著相关,表明叶片P可以指示土壤C、N增速的变化,而N∶P可以将植物和土壤联系起来。植被恢复过程中,叶片和土壤C、N、P含量及增速均发生显著变化,且存在密切的联系,这种变化的趋势在刺槐、柠条和草地中有所不同。     

控雨对荒漠草原植物、微生物和土壤C、N、P化学计量特征的影响

以宁夏荒漠草原为研究对象,于2014—2015年设置了降雨量变化(减雨50%、减雨30%、自然降雨、增雨30%和增雨50%)的野外模拟试验,测定了植物、微生物和土壤C、N、P含量,同时调查了植物群落组成和土壤含水量等指标,研究了各组分C、N、P化学计量特征对连续两年降雨量变化的响应,分析了土壤C∶N∶P和含水量分别与植物生长、养分利用以及微生物量积累的相关性。结果表明,控雨改变了植物叶片C∶N∶P,且其影响程度随物种不同而异:减雨50%提高了牛枝子(Lespedeza potanimill)绿叶N和P以及猪毛蒿(Artemisia scoparia)绿叶P摄取能力,增雨(30%和50%)降低了猪毛蒿绿叶N摄取能力。增雨提高了猪毛蒿绿叶C∶N,增雨30%提高了苦豆子(Sophora alopecuroides)绿叶C∶N。增雨降低了猪毛蒿绿叶N∶P,增雨30%降低了白草(Pennisetum centrasiaticum)绿叶N∶P。相比之下,控雨条件下枯叶C∶N∶P的变化幅度较小;随降雨量增加微生物量C、N以及C∶N逐渐增加,但增雨50%使微生物量C和C∶N降低;控雨对土壤C∶N∶P的影响较小,但增雨提高了土壤水分有效性,因此促进了植物和微生物生长;试验期内,相对稳定的土壤C∶N∶P不能很好地指示植物和微生物生长发育的养分受限状况;干旱时提高叶片养分摄取、湿润时增强叶片养分回收,可能解释了牛枝子对降雨量变化的弹性适应能力。     

云杉碳氮化学计量比对土壤水分和氮有效性的响应

以西南亚高山针叶林优势种——粗枝云杉(Picea asperata)为研究对象,探究不同土壤水分状况和氮添加下云杉碳氮化学计量比的变化及其响应过程。采用两因素(水分×氮素)随机区组实验,设置5个土壤水分梯度和3个氮添加浓度,其中土壤水分梯度分别是土壤田间持水量的40%(W1)、50%(W2)、60%(W3)、80%(W4)和100%(W5),氮添加浓度分别为0(N0)、20(N1)、40(N2)gNm^-2 a^-1。结果表明:(1)土壤水分和氮添加显著影响了云杉碳氮化学计量比(P<0.05),具体为:云杉植株和器官碳氮比在N0W4处理下最大值,随土壤水分有效性的降低而减小,随氮添加浓度的增加而降低。(2)随土壤水分有效性的降低,根和叶的碳含量显著升高(P<0.05),茎和叶的碳含量随着氮添加浓度的增加而降低。此外,土壤水分有效性的降低显著提高了根和茎的氮含量(P<0.05),各器官的氮含量随着氮添加浓度的增加而增加。在相同水分和氮添加浓度处理下表现为碳含量:叶>茎>根,氮含量:叶>根>茎。(3)云杉净光...     

新疆67种荒漠植物叶碳氮磷计量特征及其与气候的关系

荒漠生态系统具有独特的耐旱植物种类和植物化学计量特征.本研究通过系统采集全疆63个荒漠地点的67种植物,探索荒漠植物叶碳、氮、磷(C、N、P)的计量特征及其与气候因子的关系.结果表明:荒漠植物叶C、N和P的平均含量分别为394、18.4和1.14 mg·g-1,C∶N、C∶P和N∶P平均值分别为28、419和18.灌木的N含量高于乔木和草本,灌木P含量比草本(乔木)低(高);C3植物叶的C、N、C∶P、N∶P高于C4植物.随年均降水量增加,叶C有先降低后升高的趋势,叶N、P先升高、后降低,叶C∶N、C∶P与叶N、P变化趋势相反,N∶P变化不显著;随年均温升高,叶C先降低后升高,叶N、P降低,C∶N变化不显著,C∶P、N∶P升高.年均降水量对叶片化学计量特征的影响大于年均温度和植物类型.本研究结果将有助于预测全球气候变化背景下的C、N、P元素循环规律的变化,并为干旱区生物地球化学建模提供参考和基础数据.     

黄土高原不同林龄刺槐林碳、氮、磷化学计量特征

以黄土高原幼龄林、中龄林、成熟林(分别为5～10、11～15、21～30年生)刺槐人工林为对象,研究刺槐根、茎、叶、枯落物的碳、氮、磷化学计量学特征及其相互关系.结果表明: 不同林龄刺槐林各组分的碳、氮、磷含量分别为376.74～486.67、8.66～29.70和0.79～1.95g·kg^-1,刺槐各组分碳含量变异较小,磷含量变异较大.中龄林碳含量较高,成熟林氮、磷含量较高.不同组分间叶碳、氮、磷含量较高,茎的氮含量较低.不同林龄刺槐林各组分的C/N、C/P和N/P分别为15.74～53.40、242.47～606.39和8.10～20.57;中龄林和幼龄林中茎C/N、C/P和N/P显著高于成熟林,不同组分间茎C/N、C/P较高,叶C/N、C/P较低.刺槐叶片和根的碳氮磷含量间不存在相关关系,枯落物与茎的氮含量和磷含量间存在显著相关关系,反映出枯落物和茎的建成过程中对氮磷按比例投入的依赖.与全球尺度相比,黄土高原人工刺槐林具有较高的储碳能力,氮含量丰富,而磷相对缺乏,成为刺槐人工林生长的主要限制因子.     

Pelagic C:N:P Stoichiometry in a Eutrophied Lake: Responses to a Whole-Lake Food-Web Manipulation

Changes in the ecological stoichiometry of C, N, and P in the pelagic zone are reported from a whole-lake manipulation of the food web of Lake 227, an experimentally eutrophied lake at the Experimental Lakes Area, Canada. Addition of northern pike eliminated populations of planktivorous minnows by the third year (1995) after pike introduction, and in the fourth year after pike addition (1996), a massive increase in the abundance of the large-bodied cladoceran Daphnia pulicaria occurred. Accompanying this increase in Daphnia abundance, zooplankton community N:P declined, seston concentration and C:P ratio decreased, and dissolved N and P pools increased. During peak abundance, zooplankton biomass comprised a significant proportion of total epilimnetic phosphorus (greater than 30%). During the period of increased Daphnia abundance, concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (TIN) increased more strongly than dissolved phosphorus (TDP), and thus TIN:TDP ratios were elevated. Sedimentation data indicated that increased grazing led to greatly reduced residence times of C, N, and especially P in the water column during 1996. Finally, previously dominant N-fixing cyanobacteria were absent during 1996. Our results show that strong effects of food-web structure can occur in eutrophic lakes and that stoichiometric mechanisms play a potentially important role in generating these effects.     

黄土高原子午岭林区两种天然次生林植物叶片-凋落叶-土壤生态化学计量特征

了解我国黄土高原子午岭林区两种天然林下植物叶片-凋落叶-土壤生态化学计量特征,有助于人们更深入地认识黄土高原子午岭天然次生林生态系统养分循环规律和系统稳定机制。结果表明:(1)辽东栎和白桦两种植物叶片碳、氮、磷平均含量为468.6、17.1、2.1 g/kg;凋落叶碳、氮、磷平均含量为457.3、12.5、1.6 g/kg;土壤碳、氮、磷平均含量分别为17.6、1.4、0.5 g/kg。(2)白桦叶片N、P含量之间II类线性回归斜率大于1(P=0.07),表明白桦叶片建成过程中存在N、P元素按比例投入的依赖。白桦凋落叶N、P含量之间的II类线性回归斜率显著小于1(P0.05),两种天然次生林凋落叶整体N、P含量之间的II类线性回归斜率也显著小于1(P0.05),反映了凋落叶中单位P含量与单位N含量间不存在等速损耗关系。(3)黄土高原子午岭两种天然次生林凋落叶氮含量与土壤氮含量具有显著相关性(P0.01),表明凋落叶分解对土壤氮库有增加作用。相比于凋落叶,植物叶片磷含量与土壤磷含量具有较紧密的关系,表现为高的土壤P含量则植物叶片也具有较高的P含量。黄土高原子午岭林区两种天然次生林下土壤有机质具有较快的矿化作用。(4)辽东栎作为植被演替到顶极群落的优势物种,其凋落叶C∶N值为26.7远低于白桦凋落叶C∶N值44.9(P0.05),有利于微生物对凋落叶的分解。两种天然次生林的植物叶片N∶P均值为7.9714,低于全国和全球尺度的其他研究结果,表明这两种天然次生林主要受N限制。     

Effects of soil C:N:P stoichiometry on biomass allocation in the alpine and arid steppe systems

Soil nutrients strongly influence biomass allocation. However, few studies have examined patterns induced by soil C:N:P stoichiometry in alpine and arid ecosystems. Samples were collected from 44 sites with similar elevation along the 220‐km transect at spatial intervals of 5 km along the northern Tibetan Plateau. Aboveground biomass (AGB) levels were measured by cutting a sward in each plot. Belowground biomass (BGB) levels were collected from soil pits in a block of 1 m × 1 m in actual root depth. We observed significant decreases in AGB and BGB levels but increases in the BGB:AGB ratio with increases in latitude. Although soil is characterized by structural complexity and spatial heterogeneity, we observed remarkably consistent C:N:P ratios within the cryic aridisols. We observed significant nonlinear relationships between the soil N:P and BGB:AGB ratios. The critical N:P ratio in soils was measured at approximately 2.0, above which the probability of BGB:AGB response to nutrient availability is small. These findings serve as interesting contributions to the global data pool on arid plant stoichiometry, given the previously limited knowledge regarding high‐altitude regions.     

Different sensitivity and threshold in response to nitrogen addition in four alpine grasslands along a precipitation transect on the Northern Tibetan Plateau

The increase in atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has resulted in some terrestrial ecological changes. In order to identify the response of sensitive indicators to N input and estimate the sensitivity and saturation thresholds in alpine grasslands, we set up a series of multilevel N addition experiments in four types of alpine grasslands (alpine meadow [AM], alpine meadow‐steppe [AMS], alpine steppe [AS], and alpine desert‐steppe [ADS]) along with a decreasing precipitation gradient from east to west on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. N addition only had significant effects on species diversity in AMS, while had no effects on the other three alpine grasslands. Aboveground biomass of grasses and overall community in ADS were enhanced with increasing N addition, but such effects did not occur in AS. Legume biomass in ADS and AS showed similar unimodal patterns and exhibited a decreasing tend in AM. Regression fitting showed that the most sensitive functional groups were grasses, and the N saturation thresholds were 103, 115, 136, and 156 kg N hm^?2 year^?1 in AM, AMS, AS, and ADS, respectively. This suggests that alpine grasslands become more and more insensitive to N input with precipitation decrease. N saturation thresholds also negatively correlated with soil N availability. N sensitivity differences caused by precipitation and nutrient availability suggest that alpine grasslands along the precipitation gradient will respond differently to atmospheric N deposition in the future global change scenario. This different sensitivity should also be taken into consideration when using N fertilization to restore degraded grasslands.