Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2020, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (10): 1050-1058.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2020.0127

Special Issue: 生态化学计量

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Response of nutrient characteristics of Achnatherum splendens leaves to different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus addition

LI Jun-Jun1, LI Meng-Ru1, QI Xing-E1, WANG Li-Long2, XU Shi-Jian1,*()   

  1. 1School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
    2Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
  • Received:2020-05-01 Accepted:2020-07-10 Online:2020-10-20 Published:2020-11-30
  • Contact: XU Shi-Jian
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31570393);National Natural Science Foundation of China(31170371)

Abstract:

Aims The nutrient characteristics of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in plant leaves are affected by soil available N, P contents and soil N:P. However, little is known about the effects of changes in soil N, P contents and N:P on N, P stoichiometry in leaves and nutrient resorption efficiency.
Methods In this study, pot experiments were conducted to explore the response of the stoichiometry and nutrient resorption characteristics of Achnatherum splendens leaves to three levels of nutrient addition (low, 1.5 g·m-2·a-1; moderate, 4.5 g·m-2·a-1; and high, 13.5 g·m-2·a-1) and N:P (5, 15, 25).
Important findings The results showed that higher level of nutrient addition significantly increased the P contents in green leaves and N, P contents in senescent leaves, but significantly deceased the N resorption efficiency (NRE) and P resorption efficiency (PRE). The increases in soil N:P significantly decreased the P contents in senescent leaves and NRE, but increased N:P in green and senescent leaves and PRE. At the same nutrient addition level, soil N:P was significantly positively correlated with PRE, but showed no significant correlation with NRE. At the same level of N:P, the level of nutrition addition was negatively correlated with NRE, but exhibited no significant correlation with PRE. The changes in plant demand for N and P caused by changing environment can be indicated effectively by plant leaf NRE:PRE, and the characteristics of nutrient stoichiometry and resorption of A. splendens leaves are affected together by nutrient addition levels and soil N:P.

Key words: nutrient resorption, nutrient stoichiometry, Achnatherum splendens, soil nutrients, nitrogen addition