Leaf stoichiometry of trees in three forest types in Pearl River Delta, South China

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.01.009

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Plant or biomass stoichiometry can be used to distinguish biological entities (genes, cells, organisms, etc.) based on element composition. Our objective was to determine the stoichiometry characteristics and examine nutrient limitation in evergreen broad-leaved forest, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest and coniferous forest.

Methods We determined C, N, P stoichiometry of leaves of 19 dominant trees of 16 taxa in three forest types at the Pearl River Delta Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Guangdong Province, South China.

Important findings Leaf stoichiometry showed large variations: C ranged from 434 to 537 mg·g^-1, N from 6.8 to 23.0 mg·g^-1, P from 0.56 to 2.10 mg·g^-1, C:N from 21.22 to 70.74, C:P from 227.14 to 844.64 and N:P from 5.26 to 20.91. Leaf N, P, C:N and C:P were linearly correlated (p < 0.01). Leaf C, C:P and N:P (weighted average ± standard deviation: (517.85 ± 35.96), (727.47 ± 231.52) and (15.71 ± 3.76) mg·g^-1, respectively) were the highest in coniferous forest, followed by mixed forest (509.47 ± 19.38, 553.01 ± 152.32 and 10.93 ± 1.89, respectively) and evergreen broad-leaved forest (481.59 ± 18.35, 412.19 ± 200.91 and 9.46 ± 4.28, respectively), and a reverse sequence was detected for leaf P content. The sequence for N content was coniferous forest ((12.20 ± 5.65) mg·g^-1) > evergreen broad-leaved forest ((11.50 ± 4.24) mg·g^-1) > mixed forest ((10.51 ± 5.22) mg·g^-1) and for C:N was mixed forest (51.35 ± 13.65) > coniferous forest (47.40 ± 15.85) > evergreen broad-leaved forest (45.59 ± 14.70), and higher nutrient use efficiency was discovered in three forest types. Several evergreen broad-leaved trees and evergreen broad-leaved forest had shortages of N.

Key words: coniferous forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, Pearl River Delta, stoichiometry

WU Tong-Gui, CHEN Bu-Feng, XIAO Yi-Hua, PAN Yong-Jun, CHEN Yong, XIAO Jiang-Hua. Leaf stoichiometry of trees in three forest types in Pearl River Delta, South China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(1): 58-63.

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Figures/Tables 2

References 31

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森林类型 Types	物种 Species	C (mg·g^-1)	N (mg·g^-1)	P (mg·g^-1)	C:N	C:P	N:P
常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad-leaved forest	米老排 Mytilaria laosensis	484	14.0	1.80	34.57	268.89	7.78
	乐昌含笑 Michelia chapensis	480	12.0	1.20	40.00	400.00	10.00
	红椎 Castanopsis hystrix	487	9.6	0.86	50.73	566.28	11.16
	火力楠 Michelia macclurel	481	6.8	0.98	70.74	490.82	6.94
	黧蒴锥 Castanopsis fissa	488	10.0	1.90	48.80	256.84	5.26
	海南红豆 Ormosia pinnata	494	21.0	1.50	23.52	329.33	14.00
	红胶木 Tristania conferta	476	14.0	0.71	34.00	670.42	19.72
	尖叶杜英 Elaeocarpus apiculatus	434	11.0	1.40	39.45	310.00	7.86
	荷木 Schima superb	473	7.9	0.56	59.87	844.64	14.11
	枫香 Liquidambar formosana	452	7.3	0.68	61.92	664.71	10.74
	群落加权平均值 Weighted average	481.59	11.5	1.31	45.59	412.19	9.46
	标准差 SD	18.35	4.24	0.48	14.70	200.91	4.28
针阔混交林 Coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest	湿地松 Pinus elliottii	520	9.0	0.87	57.78	597.7	10.34
	红胶木 Tristania conferta	485	13.0	1.00	37.31	485.00	13.00
	楝叶吴茱萸 Evodia glabrifolia	474	19.0	2.00	24.95	237.00	9.50
	黧蒴锥 Castanopsis fissa	475	13.0	0.98	36.54	484.69	13.27
	乐昌含笑 Michelia chapensis	477	22.0	2.10	21.68	227.14	10.48
	群落加权平均值 Weighted average	509.47	10.51	0.96	51.35	553.01	10.93
	标准差 SD	19.38	5.22	0.61	13.65	152.32	1.89
针叶林 Coniferous forest	马尾松 Pinus massoniana	537	9.6	0.64	55.94	839.06	15.00
	黄牛木 Cratoxylum ligustrinum	454	16.0	0.96	28.38	472.92	16.67
	银姬小蜡 Ligustrum sinense	488	23.0	1.10	21.22	443.64	20.91
	潺槁木姜子 Litsea glutinosa	470	19.0	1.60	24.74	293.75	11.88
	群落加权平均值 Weighted average	517.85	12.20	0.77	47.40	727.47	15.71
	标准差 SD	35.96	5.65	0.40	15.85	231.53	3.76

森林类型 Types	物种 Species	C (mg·g^-1)	N (mg·g^-1)	P (mg·g^-1)	C:N	C:P	N:P
常绿阔叶林 Evergreen broad-leaved forest	米老排 Mytilaria laosensis	484	14.0	1.80	34.57	268.89	7.78
	乐昌含笑 Michelia chapensis	480	12.0	1.20	40.00	400.00	10.00
	红椎 Castanopsis hystrix	487	9.6	0.86	50.73	566.28	11.16
	火力楠 Michelia macclurel	481	6.8	0.98	70.74	490.82	6.94
	黧蒴锥 Castanopsis fissa	488	10.0	1.90	48.80	256.84	5.26
	海南红豆 Ormosia pinnata	494	21.0	1.50	23.52	329.33	14.00
	红胶木 Tristania conferta	476	14.0	0.71	34.00	670.42	19.72
	尖叶杜英 Elaeocarpus apiculatus	434	11.0	1.40	39.45	310.00	7.86
	荷木 Schima superb	473	7.9	0.56	59.87	844.64	14.11
	枫香 Liquidambar formosana	452	7.3	0.68	61.92	664.71	10.74
	群落加权平均值 Weighted average	481.59	11.5	1.31	45.59	412.19	9.46
	标准差 SD	18.35	4.24	0.48	14.70	200.91	4.28
针阔混交林 Coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest	湿地松 Pinus elliottii	520	9.0	0.87	57.78	597.7	10.34
	红胶木 Tristania conferta	485	13.0	1.00	37.31	485.00	13.00
	楝叶吴茱萸 Evodia glabrifolia	474	19.0	2.00	24.95	237.00	9.50
	黧蒴锥 Castanopsis fissa	475	13.0	0.98	36.54	484.69	13.27
	乐昌含笑 Michelia chapensis	477	22.0	2.10	21.68	227.14	10.48
	群落加权平均值 Weighted average	509.47	10.51	0.96	51.35	553.01	10.93
	标准差 SD	19.38	5.22	0.61	13.65	152.32	1.89
针叶林 Coniferous forest	马尾松 Pinus massoniana	537	9.6	0.64	55.94	839.06	15.00
	黄牛木 Cratoxylum ligustrinum	454	16.0	0.96	28.38	472.92	16.67
	银姬小蜡 Ligustrum sinense	488	23.0	1.10	21.22	443.64	20.91
	潺槁木姜子 Litsea glutinosa	470	19.0	1.60	24.74	293.75	11.88
	群落加权平均值 Weighted average	517.85	12.20	0.77	47.40	727.47	15.71
	标准差 SD	35.96	5.65	0.40	15.85	231.53	3.76