Leaf nutrient stoichiometry of plants in the phosphorus-enriched soils of the Lake Dianchi watershed,southwestern China
Aims Understanding the stoichiometry of nutrient elements of plants growing in phosphorus-enriched areas can help characterize plant differentiation and guide ecological restoration in different biogeochemical environments.The Lake Dianchi watershed of southwestern China has P-enriched soils, and its main plant species may illustrate the relationship between plant ecological traits and the environment.Our aim was to test whether different plant life forms living at different P levels in this area have different patterns of leaf nutrient stoichiometry.Methods We collected leaf samples from 75 adult plants and soil samples from their root-zones in P-enriched areas and reference sites within the watershed.We determined N, P and K contents of leaves and total P contents of soil samples and calculated element ratios.Important findings The arithmetic means of leaf C, N and K were 441.42, 16.17 and 13.57 mg·g–1, respectively, and the geometric mean of leaf P was 1.92 mg·g–1.Significant correlations among leaf C, N, P and K were observed in all plant species.Higher P and K contents were observed in plants growing in higher P areas, but higher N/P and K/P were observed in lower P sites.Leaf nutrient concentration was significantly higher in herbaceous plants than in woody plants, but there was no difference in leaf nutrient concentrations between trees and shrubs.Leaf N/P and K/P were correlated negatively with soil P content.Results suggested that plant growth and vegetation development in the Lake Dianchi watershed were limited by low soil N contents and plant growth enhanced by N addition should be important for vegetation resilience and prevention of non-point source pollution in the process of ecosystem restoration.
ecological stoichiometrylife formnutritional constraintphosphorus-enriched areas
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
维普
