Ecological stoichiometry of plant nutrients at different restoration succession stages in typical steppe of Inner Mongolia, China

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.01.007

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Much research is being done on plant nutrients and stoichiometry. Our purpose was to reveal the effects of grazing on plant nutrients and stoichiometry in a typical steppe of Inner Mongolia of China.

Methods We studied nutrient content of C, N and P and their ratio in soil and leaves of dominant plants in three adjacent sites: fenced since 1983 and 1996 and unfenced. We employed the stoichiometric approach and assessed the effects of grazing on spatio-temporal patterns of nutrient cycling between plants and soil in restoration succession of degenerate steppes.

Important findings Both total soil nutrient content and the ratio of the soil total nitrogen and soil total phosphorus (STN:STP) were lower in overgrazed plant communities compared to fenced plant communities at different levels of restoration. Conversely, the ratio of soil organic carbon and STN (SOC:STN) was higher in overgrazed plant communities. The total organic carbon content (TOC) of most plants was higher in fenced communities and lower in grazed communities and was positively correlated with time since community restoration began. However, the content of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in plants was higher in fenced communities than that in grazed communities. Both TN and TP correlated negatively with time since restoration began and positively with the degree of degradation due to overgrazing. TP had a larger range in values compared to TN. The stoichiometry ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P) and carbon and nitrogen (C:N) in leaves were the lowest in grazed communities and correlated negatively with the degree of degradation. These communities had less total N than total P; however, this pattern was reversed in fenced communities, where sometimes both N and P were limiting. We propose that stoichiometry ratios in dominant plant species can serve as indicators of direction of plant succession in this typical steppe.

Key words: degradation, ecological stoichiometry, nutrients dynamics, succession, typical steppe

YIN Xiao-Rui, LIANG Cun-Zhu, WANG Li-Xin, WANG Wei, LIU Zhong-Ling, LIU Xiao-Ping. Ecological stoichiometry of plant nutrients at different restoration succession stages in typical steppe of Inner Mongolia, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(1): 39-47.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2010/V34/I1/39

Figures/Tables 4

References 28

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物种 Species	科 Family	生活型 Life form	采样时间(月.日) Time of sampling (month.day)
羊草 Leymus chinensis	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb	5.15, 6.18, 7.15, 8.19, 9.27
大针茅 Stipa grandis	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
糙隐子草 Cleistogenes squarrosa	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
米氏冰草 Agropyron michnoi	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
冷蒿 Artemisia frigida	菊科 Compositae	半灌木 Subshrub
星毛委陵菜 Potentilla acaulis	蔷薇科 Rosaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
黄囊薹草 Carex korshinskyi	莎草科 Cyperaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
小叶锦鸡儿 Caragana microphylla	豆科 Fabaceae	灌木 Shrub
双齿葱 Allium bidentatum	百合科 Liliaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
细叶鸢尾 Iris tenuifolia	鸢尾科 Iridaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb

物种 Species	科 Family	生活型 Life form	采样时间(月.日) Time of sampling (month.day)
羊草 Leymus chinensis	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb	5.15, 6.18, 7.15, 8.19, 9.27
大针茅 Stipa grandis	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
糙隐子草 Cleistogenes squarrosa	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
米氏冰草 Agropyron michnoi	禾本科 Gramineae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
冷蒿 Artemisia frigida	菊科 Compositae	半灌木 Subshrub
星毛委陵菜 Potentilla acaulis	蔷薇科 Rosaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
黄囊薹草 Carex korshinskyi	莎草科 Cyperaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
小叶锦鸡儿 Caragana microphylla	豆科 Fabaceae	灌木 Shrub
双齿葱 Allium bidentatum	百合科 Liliaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb
细叶鸢尾 Iris tenuifolia	鸢尾科 Iridaceae	多年生草本 Perennial herb

物种名 Species	样地 Plot	养分含量及其方差分析 Nutrient content and analysis of variance
物种名 Species	样地 Plot	总有机碳 TOC (%)	总氮 TN (%)	总磷 TP (%)	N:P	C:N
羊草 Leymus chinensis	XW	52.57±0.15^b	1.08±0.01^c	0.11±0.00^b	9.99±0.30^c	48.76±0.36^a
	HF	55.69±0.61^a	1.65±0.03^b	0.11±0.00^b	14.95±0.19^a	33.78±1.05^b
	WLW	54.98±0.19^a	1.93±0.05^a	0.16±0.00^a	12.15±0.10^b	28.51±0.68^c
大针茅 Stipa grandis	XW	54.97±0.33^a	1.51±0.21^b	0.09±0.02^b	17.18±2.79^b	37.14±6.13^a
	HF	56.06±0.20^b	1.69±0.08^b	0.08±0.00^b	20.79±0.65^a	33.19±1.61^a
	WLW	54.09±0.42^c	2.56±0.32^a	0.20±0.01^a	12.97±0.91^c	21.48±2.66^b
糙隐子草 Cleistogenes squarrosa	XW	54.52±0.83^a	1.97±0.21^b	0.13±0.02^b	15.47±1.04^a	28.08±3.47^a
	HF	55.35±0.52^a	2.22±0.09^b	0.14±0.01^b	15.33±0.49^a	25.05±0.90^a
	WLW	54.26±1.34^a	2.68±0.39^a	0.28±0.02^a	10.47±1.02^b	19.63±2.09^b
冷蒿 Artemisia frigida	XW	55.67±1.31^a	2.25±0.19^a	0.20±0.03^b	11.36±0.97^a	24.94±1.81^a
	HF	57.61±1.00^b	2.56±0.28^a	0.22±0.02^ab	11.77±0.32^a	22.71±2.17^ab
	WLW	51.09±0.68^c	2.54±0.18^a	0.25±0.02^a	10.06±0.85^a	20.25±1.34^b
星毛委陵菜 Potentilla acaulis	XW	53.07±0.42^a	1.76±0.24^b	0.13±0.02^a	13.25±1.06^a	30.74±4.53^a
	HF	52.53±0.66^a	2.03±0.12^ab	0.14±0.01^a	14.55±0.74^a	25.98±1.33^ab
	WLW	49.67±1.06^b	2.26±0.32^a	0.18±0.06^a	13.28±2.28^a	22.48±3.59^b
米氏冰草 Agropyron michooi	XW	54.06±1.48^a	1.48±0.01^b	0.11±0.00^b	13.81±0.43^b	36.49±1.04^a
	HF	55.65±0.75^a	1.87±0.20^b	0.10±0.01^b	19.15±0.86^a	29.92±3.17^a
	WLW	52.70±1.19^a	2.70±0.25^a	0.21±0.02^a	12.80±1.47^b	19.76±1.56^b
黄囊薹草 Carex korshinskyi	XW	52.55±1.04^a	1.73±0.13^b	0.10±0.01^c	17.56±0.60^a	30.63±2.84^a
	HF	53.13±0.43^a	1.96±0.06^a	0.12±0.01^b	16.66±0.37^a	27.16±0.26^a
	WLW	52.41±0.34^a	1.95±0.02^a	0.15±0.00^a	13.39±0.52^b	26.92±0.34^a
小叶锦鸡儿 Caragana microphylla	XW	61.11±1.40^a	3.15±0.47^a	0.17±0.06^a	20.42±3.97^a	19.77±2.59^a
	HF	58.38±1.20^b	2.80±0.16^a	0.13±0.01^a	22.27±0.79^a	20.92±0.81^a
	WLW	59.08±1.28^b	3.01±0.39^a	0.17±0.05^a	18.43±2.46^a	19.86±1.85^a
双齿葱 Allium bidentatum	XW	54.11±0.46^a	2.53±0.29^a	0.18±0.02^b	13.76±1.61^a	22.31±2.54^a
	HF	53.67±0.64^a	2.10±0.11^a	0.17±0.01^b	12.44±1.01^a	25.81±1.47^a
	WLW	48.91±0.47^b	2.20±0.33^a	0.25±0.03^a	8.72±1.07^b	22.70±3.03^a
细叶鸢尾 Iris tenuifolia	XW	52.24±0.54^a	1.41±0.09^b	0.08±0.01^b	16.56±0.07^a	37.21±2.39^a
	HF	52.85±0.60^a	1.72±0.03^a	0.09±0.01^b	18.42±1.32^a	30.83±0.79^b
	WLW	51.82±0.46^a	1.94±0.08^a	0.21±0.01^a	9.34±0.68^b	26.79±1.37^b

物种名 Species	样地 Plot	养分含量及其方差分析 Nutrient content and analysis of variance
物种名 Species	样地 Plot	总有机碳 TOC (%)	总氮 TN (%)	总磷 TP (%)	N:P	C:N
羊草 Leymus chinensis	XW	52.57±0.15^b	1.08±0.01^c	0.11±0.00^b	9.99±0.30^c	48.76±0.36^a
	HF	55.69±0.61^a	1.65±0.03^b	0.11±0.00^b	14.95±0.19^a	33.78±1.05^b
	WLW	54.98±0.19^a	1.93±0.05^a	0.16±0.00^a	12.15±0.10^b	28.51±0.68^c
大针茅 Stipa grandis	XW	54.97±0.33^a	1.51±0.21^b	0.09±0.02^b	17.18±2.79^b	37.14±6.13^a
	HF	56.06±0.20^b	1.69±0.08^b	0.08±0.00^b	20.79±0.65^a	33.19±1.61^a
	WLW	54.09±0.42^c	2.56±0.32^a	0.20±0.01^a	12.97±0.91^c	21.48±2.66^b
糙隐子草 Cleistogenes squarrosa	XW	54.52±0.83^a	1.97±0.21^b	0.13±0.02^b	15.47±1.04^a	28.08±3.47^a
	HF	55.35±0.52^a	2.22±0.09^b	0.14±0.01^b	15.33±0.49^a	25.05±0.90^a
	WLW	54.26±1.34^a	2.68±0.39^a	0.28±0.02^a	10.47±1.02^b	19.63±2.09^b
冷蒿 Artemisia frigida	XW	55.67±1.31^a	2.25±0.19^a	0.20±0.03^b	11.36±0.97^a	24.94±1.81^a
	HF	57.61±1.00^b	2.56±0.28^a	0.22±0.02^ab	11.77±0.32^a	22.71±2.17^ab
	WLW	51.09±0.68^c	2.54±0.18^a	0.25±0.02^a	10.06±0.85^a	20.25±1.34^b
星毛委陵菜 Potentilla acaulis	XW	53.07±0.42^a	1.76±0.24^b	0.13±0.02^a	13.25±1.06^a	30.74±4.53^a
	HF	52.53±0.66^a	2.03±0.12^ab	0.14±0.01^a	14.55±0.74^a	25.98±1.33^ab
	WLW	49.67±1.06^b	2.26±0.32^a	0.18±0.06^a	13.28±2.28^a	22.48±3.59^b
米氏冰草 Agropyron michooi	XW	54.06±1.48^a	1.48±0.01^b	0.11±0.00^b	13.81±0.43^b	36.49±1.04^a
	HF	55.65±0.75^a	1.87±0.20^b	0.10±0.01^b	19.15±0.86^a	29.92±3.17^a
	WLW	52.70±1.19^a	2.70±0.25^a	0.21±0.02^a	12.80±1.47^b	19.76±1.56^b
黄囊薹草 Carex korshinskyi	XW	52.55±1.04^a	1.73±0.13^b	0.10±0.01^c	17.56±0.60^a	30.63±2.84^a
	HF	53.13±0.43^a	1.96±0.06^a	0.12±0.01^b	16.66±0.37^a	27.16±0.26^a
	WLW	52.41±0.34^a	1.95±0.02^a	0.15±0.00^a	13.39±0.52^b	26.92±0.34^a
小叶锦鸡儿 Caragana microphylla	XW	61.11±1.40^a	3.15±0.47^a	0.17±0.06^a	20.42±3.97^a	19.77±2.59^a
	HF	58.38±1.20^b	2.80±0.16^a	0.13±0.01^a	22.27±0.79^a	20.92±0.81^a
	WLW	59.08±1.28^b	3.01±0.39^a	0.17±0.05^a	18.43±2.46^a	19.86±1.85^a
双齿葱 Allium bidentatum	XW	54.11±0.46^a	2.53±0.29^a	0.18±0.02^b	13.76±1.61^a	22.31±2.54^a
	HF	53.67±0.64^a	2.10±0.11^a	0.17±0.01^b	12.44±1.01^a	25.81±1.47^a
	WLW	48.91±0.47^b	2.20±0.33^a	0.25±0.03^a	8.72±1.07^b	22.70±3.03^a
细叶鸢尾 Iris tenuifolia	XW	52.24±0.54^a	1.41±0.09^b	0.08±0.01^b	16.56±0.07^a	37.21±2.39^a
	HF	52.85±0.60^a	1.72±0.03^a	0.09±0.01^b	18.42±1.32^a	30.83±0.79^b
	WLW	51.82±0.46^a	1.94±0.08^a	0.21±0.01^a	9.34±0.68^b	26.79±1.37^b