Nutrient levels within leaves,stems, and roots of the xeric species Reaumuria soongorica in relation to geographical,climatic, and soil conditions

Besides water relations, nutrient allocation, and stoichiometric traits are fundamental feature of shrubs. Knowledge concerning the nutrient stoichiometry of xerophytes is essential to predicting the biogeochemical cycling in desert ecosystems as well as to understanding the homoeostasis and variability of nutrient traits in desert plants. Here, we focused on the temperate desert species Reaumuria soongorica and collected samples from plant organs and soil over 28 different locations that covered a wide distributional gradient of this species. Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations and their stoichiometry were determined and subsequently compared with geographic, climatic, and edaphic factors. The mean leaf C, N, and P concentrations and C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios were 371.6 mg g⁻¹, 10.6 mg g⁻¹, 0.73 mg g⁻¹, and 59.7, 837.9, 15.7, respectively. Stem and root C concentrations were higher than leaf C, while leaf N was higher than stem and root N. Phosphorus concentration and N/P did not differ among plant organs. Significant differences were found between root C/N and leaf C/N as well as between root C/P and leaf C/P. Leaf nutrient traits respond to geographic and climatic factors, while nutrient concentrations of stems and roots are mostly affected by soil P and pH. We show that stoichiometric patterns in different plant organs had different responses to environmental variables. Studies of species-specific nutrient stoichiometry can help clarify plant–environment relationships and nutrient cycling patterns in desert ecosystems.     

麻栎种源林叶片碳、氮、磷化学计量特征的变异

结合林木育种方法,以3个麻栎种源试验林为研究对象,测定了29个麻栎种源叶片碳、氮、磷化学计量特征.结果表明: 地点(环境)显著影响叶片碳、氮、磷、碳氮比、碳磷比、氮磷比,解释量占总变异量的13.2%～66.7%,而种源(遗传)的影响并不显著,解释量只占总变异量的2.9%～11.0%.叶片氮与碳氮比、氮与氮磷比、磷与碳磷比、磷与氮磷比均具有显著的相关性,且无论是地点间还是东西部种源间均存在共同的标准化主轴斜率.表明在单一树种(麻栎)水平上,种源间具有相似的碳、氮、磷生化过程,其叶片化学计量特征主要受环境的影响;而化学计量特征在地点间和东西部种源间稳定的相关系数反映出叶片化学计量特征的特定耦合比例不受环境和种源的影响,支持化学计量学的内稳性理论.     

The Altitudinal Patterns of Leaf C∶N∶P Stoichiometry Are Regulated by Plant Growth Form,Climate and Soil on Changbai Mountain,China

Understanding the geographic patterns and potential drivers of leaf stoichiometry is critical for modelling the nutrient fluxes of ecosystems and to predict the responses of ecosystems to global changes. This study aimed to explore the altitudinal patterns and potential drivers of leaf C∶N∶P stoichiometry. We measured the concentrations of leaf C, N and P in 175 plant species as well as soil nutrient concentrations along an altitudinal transect (500–2300 m) on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, China to explore the response of leaf C∶N∶P stoichiometry to plant growth form (PGF), climate and soil. Leaf C, N, P and C∶N∶P ratios showed significant altitudinal trends. In general, leaf C and C∶N∶P ratios increased while leaf N and P decreased with elevation. Woody and herbaceous species showed different responses to altitudinal gradients. Trees had the largest variation in leaf C, C∶N and C∶P ratios, while herbs showed the largest variation in leaf N, P and N∶P ratio. PGF, climate and soil jointly regulated leaf stoichiometry, explaining 17.6% to 52.1% of the variation in the six leaf stoichiometric traits. PGF was more important in explaining leaf stoichiometry variation than soil and climate. Our findings will help to elucidate the altitudinal patterns of leaf stoichiometry and to model ecosystem nutrient cycling.     

青藏高原东缘主要针叶树种叶片碳氮磷化学计量分布格局及其驱动因素

理解植物叶片化学计量特征及其驱动因素对认识植物种群分布规律及预测植物对环境变化响应具有重要意义。该研究采集了青藏高原东缘针叶林84个样点共29种主要针叶树种叶片, 探讨该区域常绿针叶树种叶片碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)化学计量特征和分布格局及其驱动因素。结果表明: (1)在科和属水平上, 不同针叶树种叶片C、N含量和C:N差异显著; 叶片N:P < 14, 表明该区域针叶树种主要受N限制。(2)叶片N、P含量在环境梯度上表现出一致的分布规律: 均呈现出随纬度和海拔增加而显著降低, 随年平均气温(MAT)和年降水量(MAP)增加而显著增加的趋势; 而叶片C含量与纬度、海拔、MAT和MAP均未表现出显著相关性。(3)叶片C:N、C:P呈现出与N、P含量变化相反的分布格局: 均随纬度和海拔增加而显著增加, 随MAT和MAP增加而显著降低; 而叶片N:P与海拔、MAT和MAP均无显著相关性。(4)进一步分析表明, 叶片C、N、P含量及其化学计量比的主要驱动因素不尽相同。具体而言: 土壤特性是叶片C含量和N:P变异的主要驱动因子, 而叶片N、P含量和C:N、C:P的变异主要由气候因素决定。总之, 该区域针叶树种叶片化学计量沿环境梯度的变异规律有力地支持了温度生物地球化学假说, 在一定程度上丰富了对环境变化下植物叶片化学计量分布格局及其驱动机制的认识。     

Patterns of leaf N:P stoichiometry along climatic gradients in sandy region,north of China

Aims Biological and environmental factors determine geographic patterns of plant nutrient stoichiometry jointly. Unraveling the distribution pattern and the potential drivers of nutrient stoichiometry is therefore critical for understanding the adaptive strategies and biogeochemistry cycling. Aimed to determine how leaf nitrogen (N):phosphorus (P) stoichiometry is linked to biological and environmental factors, we investigated the patterns of psammophyte leaf N:P stoichiometry in sandy region, northern China, and the potential factors affecting leaf N:P stoichiometry were explored.Methods Based on 10 m × 10 m quadrates survey, the leaves of 352 dominant psammophyte samples belonging to 167 species were collected cross a 3000 km east-west transect in sandy environments, northern China. The samples were further classified into the following groups on the basis of plant life forms and functional groups (photosynthesis pathways and nitrogen fixation). The structural equation modeling was employed to clarify the importance of biological and environmental factors on leaf N:P stoichiometry.Important findings Generally, the higher leaf N and P concentrations, but lower N:P ratio were found in psammophyte compared with other ecosystems. Mean annual temperature (MAT) influenced the leaf N, P concentrations negatively, while mean annual precipitation (MAP) did positively. MAP played greater influence on leaf N, P concentrations than MAT did. MAP affected leaf N, P concentrations directly or indirectly through phylogeny, while MAT only shown direct effect on leaf N concentration. The psammophyte was more limited by N, rather P, in sandy region of northern China. These results suggest that phylogeny of psammophyte and climate jointly influence leaf N:P stoichiometry, and the results could be helpful in modeling biogeochemical nutrients cycling in vulnerable ecosystems like sandy environment.     

Litter Biomass and Nutrient Determinants of Ant Density, Nest Size, and Growth in a Costa Rican Tropical Wet Forest

The nutritional demands of animals vary by taxon. Across landscapes, communities of animals experience variability in the stoichiometry of carbon and nutrients within their resource base. Thus, we expect stoichiometry to contribute to the spatial variance in the demographic parameters of animal communities. Here, we measure how the composition of a litter-nesting tropical rainforest ant community is influenced by spatial variation in environmental stoichiometry relative to litter biomass, a known predictor of ant density. We found the density of ants and their nests were strongly related to litter biomass and carbon: phosphorus stoichiometry. The spatial variation in soil nutrients, which determines leaf litter stoichiometry, was an excellent predictor of nest size in the two most common genera of ants. We found a negative relationship between species' growth rate and local soil stocks of phosphorus. Overall, the density of litter-dwelling ants varied greatly across this tropical forest landscape and environmental stoichiometry can account for limits on ant density independent of the biomass of the leaf litter resource base.     

杭州湾滨海湿地3种草本植物叶片N、P化学计量学的季节变化

动态平衡理论是生态化学计量学的理论基础, 各种有机体是否存在一个固定的化学计量比是生态学研究的热点问题。该文研究了杭州湾滨海湿地3种优势物种海三棱藨草(Scirpus mariqueter)、糙叶薹草(Carex scabrifolia)和芦苇(Phragmites australis)叶片N、P生态化学计量特征的季节变化。结果发现, 3种植物叶片N含量范围分别是7.41-17.12、7.47-13.15和6.03-18.09 mg·g^-1, 平均值(±标准差)分别为(11.69 ± 2.66)、(10.17 ± 1.53)和(11.56 ± 3.19) mg·g^-1; 叶片P范围分别是0.34-2.60、0.41-1.10和0.35-2.04 mg·g^-1, 平均值为(0.93 ± 0.62)、(0.74 ± 0.23)和(0.82 ± 0.53) mg·g^-1; N:P范围分别是7.19-30.63、11.58-16.81和8.62-21.86, 平均值为16.83 ± 8.31、14.53 ± 3.91和16.49 ± 5.51, 可见不同植物其生态化学计量值范围存在一定差异, 但经方差分析发现3种草本植物间生长季节内N、P元素含量差异并不显著(p > 0.05)。各物种叶片N、P含量均表现出在生长初期显著大于其他生长季节(p < 0.05), 生长旺季(6、7月)随着叶片生物量的持续增加, N、P含量逐渐降低并达到最小值, 随后8-9月叶片不再生长而N、P含量逐渐回升, 在10月叶片衰老时N、P含量再次下降; 叶片N:P则在生长初期较小, 在生长旺季先升高后降低, 随后叶片成熟不再生长时又逐渐增加并趋于稳定。     

Biomass partitioning and leaf N,P - stoichiometry: comparisons between tree and herbaceous current-year shoots

We compare the biomass partitioning patterns and the nitrogen/phosphorus (N,P) stoichiometry of the current-year shoots of tree and herbaceous species and ask whether they scale in the same ways. Our analyses indicate that few statistically significant differences exist between the shoot biomass partitioning patterns of the two functional species-groups. In contrast, statistically significant N,P - stoichiometric differences exist between the two functional groups. Across all species, dry leaf mass scales nearly as the square of basal stem diameter and isometrically with respect to dry stem mass. However, total leaf N scales as the 1.37-power and as the 1.09-power of total leaf P across herbaceous and tree shoots, respectively. Therefore, tree shoots can be viewed as populations of herbs elevated by their older, woody herbaceous cohorts. However, tree leaf stoichiometry cannot be modelled in terms of herbaceous N,P - leaf stoichiometry.     

刨花楠不同相对生长速率下林木叶片碳氮磷的适应特征

分别对9年生与13年生刨花楠林木叶片氮磷养分之间关系及林木生物量相对生长速率与叶片碳氮磷化学计量比关系进行分析,探讨不同相对生长速率下的林木叶片N、P养分适应特征,并检验相对生长速率假说理论对刨花楠树种的适应性。结果表明:两种年龄刨花楠林木生物量相对生长速率、叶片C、N、P含量及其计量比值均存在显著差异;同一年龄的林木叶片N、P之间存在显著相关性,二者具有协同相关性;9年生林木叶片P含量及C∶P、N∶P与生物量相对生长速率呈二次曲线相关,而13年生林木叶片N、P含量及C∶N、C∶P、N∶P则与生物量相对生长速率均呈线性相关。研究表明,在能满足植物生长所需养分供给的土壤环境中,叶片N、P含量与林木相对生长速率间呈线性正相关,但当土壤中养分供应满足不了植物高速生长时,植物则会对有限的养分资源进行适应性调整。     

Leaf C,N, and P concentrations and their stoichiometry in peatland plants of Da Hinggan Ling,China

叶片碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)含量及其化学计量特征为植物养分状况和元素限制性提供依据。为了解不同生活型植物叶片C、N、P化学计量特征的变化,该研究测定、分析了大兴安岭地区18个泥炭地常见的3种草本植物——白毛羊胡子草(Eriophorum vaginatum)、玉簪薹草(Carex globularis)、小叶章(Deyeuxia angustifolia), 5种落叶灌木——柴桦(Betula fruticosa)、越桔柳(Salix myrtilloides)、细叶沼柳(Salix rosmarinifolia)、笃斯越桔(Vaccinium uliginosum)、越桔(Vaccinium vitis-idaea)和3种常绿灌木——杜香(Ledum palustre)、地桂(Chamaedaphne calyculata)、头花杜鹃(Rhododendron capitatum)的叶片C、N、P含量。结果表明: (1)落叶和常绿灌木叶片C、N、P含量总体高于草本植物而C:N、C:P、N:P低于草本植物, 说明不同生活型植物具有不同的养分利用策略,灌木叶片C、N、P储存高于草本植物而N、P利用效率低于草本植物; (2)小叶章和头花杜鹃叶片N:P小于10, 同时其N含量小于全球植物叶片平均N含量, 相比其他植物来说更易受N限制; (3)采样地点解释了叶片C、N、P指标变异的12.8%-40.8%, 植物种类对叶片C、N、P指标变异的解释量占9.3%-25.5%; (4)草本植物C、N、P指标的地点间变异系数高于落叶和常绿灌木, 草本植物C、N、P指标对地点因素变化的响应较灌木敏感; (5)草本植物N含量种间变异系数高于落叶和常绿灌木, 落叶灌木P含量种间变异系数高于草本植物和常绿灌木, 草本植物和落叶灌木N、P吸收的种间生理分化较常绿灌木高。     

大兴安岭泥炭地植物叶片碳氮磷含量及其化学计量学特征

叶片碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)含量及其化学计量特征为植物养分状况和元素限制性提供依据。为了解不同生活型植物叶片C、N、P化学计量特征的变化,该研究测定、分析了大兴安岭地区18个泥炭地常见的3种草本植物——白毛羊胡子草(Eriophorum vaginatum)、玉簪薹草(Carex globularis)、小叶章(Deyeuxia angustifolia), 5种落叶灌木——柴桦(Betula fruticosa)、越桔柳(Salix myrtilloides)、细叶沼柳(Salix rosmarinifolia)、笃斯越桔(Vaccinium uliginosum)、越桔(Vaccinium vitis-idaea)和3种常绿灌木——杜香(Ledum palustre)、地桂(Chamaedaphne calyculata)、头花杜鹃(Rhododendron capitatum)的叶片C、N、P含量。结果表明: (1)落叶和常绿灌木叶片C、N、P含量总体高于草本植物而C:N、C:P、N:P低于草本植物, 说明不同生活型植物具有不同的养分利用策略,灌木叶片C、N、P储存高于草本植物而N、P利用效率低于草本植物; (2)小叶章和头花杜鹃叶片N:P小于10, 同时其N含量小于全球植物叶片平均N含量, 相比其他植物来说更易受N限制; (3)采样地点解释了叶片C、N、P指标变异的12.8%-40.8%, 植物种类对叶片C、N、P指标变异的解释量占9.3%-25.5%; (4)草本植物C、N、P指标的地点间变异系数高于落叶和常绿灌木, 草本植物C、N、P指标对地点因素变化的响应较灌木敏感; (5)草本植物N含量种间变异系数高于落叶和常绿灌木, 落叶灌木P含量种间变异系数高于草本植物和常绿灌木, 草本植物和落叶灌木N、P吸收的种间生理分化较常绿灌木高。     

青藏高原筑路取土迹地恢复植物群落与土壤的碳氮磷化学计量特征

恢复筑路取土迹地植物群落是青藏高原退化高寒草地恢复的重要组分,而生态化学计量是揭示退化草地自然恢复过程中土壤和植物间养分互作的重要方法。通过调查青藏公路筑路取土迹地自然恢复群落和天然群落内植物和土壤C、N、P的含量及其比值,研究了恢复群落和天然群落的C、N、P生态化学计量特征。结果表明:经历18a自然恢复后,不同地点筑路取土迹地均已逐步实现植物群落的定居,但其恢复程度存在明显差异。恢复群落植物叶片N含量高于天然群落,导致其叶片C∶N较低,表明恢复群落植物的N利用效率较低,N含量较高的模式主要原因可能是豆科植物比例较高和土壤有效N的供应较充足所致。恢复样地在0—10 cm和10—20 cm的土层内的有机碳(SOC)都显著低于天然样地,恢复样地土壤全氮(STN)仍一定程度上低于天然样地但含量较接近,恢复样地在10—20 cm土层中土壤全磷(STP)含量较高,这说明恢复群落尽管在土壤恢复方面并未达到天然群落的水平,但已得到了明显改善,土壤肥力正发生着正向的演替。叶片N含量与土壤STN相关性不显著,叶片P含量与土壤STP含量显著地正相关,表明植物叶片P含量在一定程度上受到土壤环境中全磷的影响。综合N∶P判定阈值和叶片土壤养分相关分析结果表明研究地区草地植被主要受到P元素的限制,且工程迹地草地恢复群落比天然群落容易受到P元素的限制。     

Changes in leaf nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry of woody plants along an altitudinal gradient in Changbai Mountain,China

Aims Leaf is the organ of plant photosynthesis, and it is important to understand the drivers for the variations of leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry along geographical and climatic gradients. Here we aimed to explore: 1) the changes in leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry of woody plants along an altitudinal gradient in Changbai Mountain, and 2) the relative contribution of climate, plant characteristics, and phylogeny to the changes in leaf N, P concentration and N:P.     

陕西省森林群落乔灌草叶片和凋落物C、N、P生态化学计量特征

研究陕西省121个森林群落中乔叶、灌叶、草叶和凋落物4个层次的C、N、P化学计量学特征及其变异性,分析了各层次间及其与地理因子间的关系.结果表明： 乔叶C、N含量最高,草叶P含量最高,凋落物C、N、P含量均最低.乔叶、灌叶、草叶和凋落物的C∶N∶P分别为439.4∶14.2∶1、599.2∶13.5∶1、416.5∶13.3∶1、504.8∶15.5∶1,乔叶、灌叶、草叶N∶P值差异不显著,但均与凋落物N∶P值差异显著,表明不同生活型活体植物叶片的N∶P值具有一定的稳定性.与N含量相比,C和P含量在各层次间表现出更好的相关性;C、N、P含量及其比值在草叶与乔叶之间较在灌叶与乔叶之间表现出更好的相关性;凋落物与乔叶和草叶之间C、N、P含量均表现出显著正相关,与灌叶只在P含量之间存在显著正相关.灌叶N、P含量随纬度增加而增加,草叶N、P含量随经度增加而降低,海拔对叶片和凋落物C、N、P含量及其比值的影响较小,只有乔叶N∶P与海拔之间存在显著负相关.各地理因子对草叶的影响大小表现为经度>纬度>海拔,对乔叶、灌叶和凋落物的影响大小表现为纬度>经度>海拔.     

Leaf nitrogen:phosphorus stoichiometry across Chinese grassland biomes

Leaf N and P stoichiometry covaries with many aspects of plant biology, yet the drivers of this trait at biogeographic scales remain uncertain. Recently we reported the patterns of leaf C and N based on systematic census of 213 species over 199 research sites in the grassland biomes of China. With the expanded analysis of leaf P, here we report patterns of leaf P and N:P ratios, and analyze the relative contribution of climatic variables and phylogeny in structuring patterns of leaf N:P stoichiometry. Average values of leaf P and N:P ratio were 1.9 mg g⁻¹ and 15.3 (mass ratio), respectively, consistent with the previous observation of a higher N:P ratio in China’s flora than the global averages (ca. 13.8), resulting from a lower leaf P. Climatic variables had very little direct correlation with leaf P and N:P ratios, with growing season precipitation and temperature together explaining less than 2% of the variation, while inter-site differences and within-site phylogenetic variation explained 55 and 26% of the total variation in leaf P and N:P ratios. Across all sites and species, leaf N and P were highly positively correlated at all levels. However, the within-site, within-species covariations of leaf N and P were weaker than those across sites and across species. Leaf N and P relationships are driven by both variation between sites at the landscape scale (explaining 58% of the variance) and within sites at the local scale (explaining 24%), while the climatic factors exerted limited influence (explaining less than 3%). In addition, leaf N:P ratios in two dominant genera Kobresia and Stipa had different responses to precipitation. This study suggests that geographic variation and between-species variation, rather than climatic variation, are the major determinants of grassland foliar stoichiometry at the biome level. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

中亚热带植被恢复阶段植物叶片、凋落物、土壤碳氮磷化学计量特征

为揭示植被恢复过程中生态系统的养分循环机制及植物的生存策略, 根据亚热带森林群落演替过程, 采用空间代替时间方法, 以湘中丘陵区地域相邻、环境条件基本一致的檵木(Loropetalum chinensis) +南烛(Vaccinium bracteatu) +杜鹃(Rhododendron mariesii)灌草丛(LVR)、檵木+杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata) +白栎(Quercus fabri)灌木林(LCQ)、马尾松(Pinus massoniana) +柯(Lithocarpus glaber) +檵木针阔混交林(PLL)、柯+红淡比(Cleyera japonica) +青冈(Cyclobalanopsis Glauca)常绿阔叶林(LCC)作为一个恢复系列, 设置固定样地, 采集植物叶片、未分解层凋落物和0-30 cm土壤样品, 测定有机碳(C)、全氮(N)、全磷(P)含量及其化学计量比, 运用异速生长关系、养分利用效率和再吸收效率分析植物对环境变化的响应和养分利用策略。结果表明: (1)随着植被恢复, 叶片C:N、C:P、N:P显著下降, 而叶片C、N、P含量和土壤C、N含量、C:P、N:P显著增加, 其中LCC植物叶片C、N含量, 土壤C、N含量及其N:P, PLL植物叶片P含量, 土壤C:P显著高于其他3个恢复阶段, 各恢复阶段植物叶片N:P > 20, 植物生长受P限制; 凋落物C、N、P含量及其化学计量比波动较大。(2)凋落物与叶片、土壤的化学计量特征之间的相关关系较弱, 叶片与土壤的化学计量特征之间具有显著相关关系, 其中叶片C、N、P含量与土壤C、N含量、C:N (除叶片C、N含量外)、C:P、N:P呈显著正相关关系; 叶片C:N与土壤C、N含量、C:P、N:P, 叶片C:P与土壤C含量、C:N、C:P, 叶片N:P与土壤C:N呈显著负相关关系。(3)植被恢复过程中, 叶片N、P之间具有显著异速生长关系, 异速生长指数为1.45, 叶片N、P的利用效率下降, 对N、P的再吸收效率增加, LCC叶片N利用效率最低, PLL叶片P利用效率最低而N、P再吸收效率最高。(4)叶片N含量内稳态弱, 而P含量具有较高的内稳态, 在土壤低P限制下植物能保持P平衡。植被恢复显著影响叶片、凋落物、土壤C、N、P含量及其化学计量比, 叶片与土壤之间C、N、P含量及化学计量比呈显著相关关系, 植物通过降低养分利用效率和提高养分再吸收效率适应土壤养分的变化, 叶片-凋落物-土壤系统的N、P循环随着植被恢复逐渐达到“化学计量平衡”。     

C:N:P stoichiometry of Ericaceae species in shrubland biomes across Southern China: influences of climate,soil and species identity

Aims Carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry strongly affect functions and nutrient cycling within ecosystems. However, the related researches in shrubs were very limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate leaf stoichiometry and its driving factors in shrubs, and whether stoichiometry significantly differs among closely related species.     

Sampling Date,Leaf Age and Root Size: Implications for the Study of Plant C:N:P Stoichiometry

Plant carbon : nitrogen : phosphorus (C:N:P) ratios are powerful indicators of diverse ecological processes. During plant development and growth, plant C:N:P stoichiometry responds to environmental conditions and physiological constraints. However, variations caused by effects of sampling (i.e. sampling date, leaf age and root size) often have been neglected in previous studies. We investigated the relative contributions of sampling date, leaf age, root size and species identity to stoichiometric flexibility in a field mesocosm study and a natural grassland in Inner Mongolia. We found that sampling date, leaf age, root size and species identity all significantly affected C:N:P stoichiometry both in the pot study as well as in the field. Overall, C:N and C:P ratios increased significantly over time and with increasing leaf age and root size, while the dynamics of N:P ratios depended on species identity. Our results suggest that attempts to synthesize C:N:P stoichiometry data across studies that span regional to global scales and include many species need to better account for temporal variation.     

Stoichiometry of leaf nitrogen and phosphorus of grasslands of the Inner Mongolian and Qinghai-Tibet Plateaus in relation to climatic variables and vegetation organization levels

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are most commonly the limiting essential elements that affect the functioning of plants and ecosystems. However, their stoichiometry in relation to climatic variables and vegetation organization levels has not been comprehensively characterized. N and P concentrations were measured for 329 leaf samples collected at 132 sites along the 5000 km long China Grassland Transect that traverses the Inner Mongolian and Qinghai-Tibet Plateaus. The patterns of these measurements were analyzed with reference to climate factors, plant species, plant functional groups, grassland communities and grassland ecosystems. The aim was to explore whether geographical patterns of plant leaf elements are related to zonal climatic variables, and at which vegetation organization levels changes of plant leaf N and P stoichiometric characteristics and pattern occur. Results showed that interspecific differences of N and P concentrations were most significant for the three vegetation organization levels of species, community and ecosystem. Plant leaf N and P concentrations were higher, coefficients of variation of N and P lower, and N/P, C/N and C/P ratios were also lower for leaf samples from the cold high altitude Qinghai-Tibet Plateau than for those from the relatively lower altitude and warmer Inner Mongolian Plateau. Correlation of N and P for Inner Mongolian grassland was higher than that for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The study indicates plant species are the most basic unit influencing plant stoichiometric geographic patterns, and that climatic variables affect leaf element concentrations mainly through their effect on changes of plant species composition of vegetation.     

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.