CARBON AND NITROGEN ACQUISITION AND ALLOCATION IN LARCH SEEDLINGS IN RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT N SUPPLY RATES

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2005.0074

Abstract

Abstract:

Larch (Larix gmelinii) is the most important industrial timber species in northeastern China, and is ecological significant in boreal forest ecosystems. However, the growth of larch is often limited by nitrogen (N) availability because of slow litter decomposition rates due to low temperatures and the long winter in these northern forests. To explore the relationship between growth and soil N availability in larch, we treated one-year old larch seedlings to four different N supply levels (1, 4, 8 and 16 mmol·L^-1, respectively) and measured acquisition and allocation of carbon and N. The results showed that the biomass, whole plant N concentration, whole plant N content and special N absorption rate of larch seedlings were enhanced with N supply levels. With the increase in N supply, needle and stem weight ratios and needle and stem N weight ratios increased, whereas the root weight ratio and root N weight ratio decreased. As N supply levels increased from 1 mmol·L^-1 to 8 mmol·L^-1, whole plant relative growth rate (RGR) increased linearly, whereas whole plant N productivity (NP_P) remained constant. At the highest N treatment (16 mmol·L^-1), whole plant RGR was the same as in the 8 mmol·L^-1 N treatment, but NP_P decreased significantly compared with the 8 mmol·L^-1 treatment. In contrast, needle N productivity of larch seedlings exhibited a negative relationship with N supply level.

Key words: Larch, N supply level, Acquisition, Allocation, Nitrogen productivity

GUO Sheng-Lei, YAN Xiu-Feng, BAI Bing, YU Shuang. CARBON AND NITROGEN ACQUISITION AND ALLOCATION IN LARCH SEEDLINGS IN RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT N SUPPLY RATES[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2005, 29(4): 550-558.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2005.0074

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Figures/Tables 9

Fig.1 Relationships between N supply level and biomass in larch seedlings Vertical bars indicate standard errors of means (n=10) ○: 40 days after treatment ●: 110 days after treatment

Fig.2 Relationships between N supply level and needle weight ratio (LWR), stem weight ratio (SWR), root weight ratio (RWR) of larch seedlings Vertical bars indicate standard errors of means (n=10) ○: 40 days after treatment ●: 110 days after treatment

Fig.3 Relationships between N supply level and N concentration (A) and N content (B) in whole plant of larch seedling Vertical bars indicate standard errors of means (n=5) ○: 40 days after treatment ●: 110 days after treatment

Fig.4 Correlations between N supply level and needle N weight ratio (LNR), stem N weight ratio (SNR), root N weight ratio (RNR) of larch seedlings Vertical bars indicate standard errors of means (n=10) ○: 40 days after treatment ●: 110 days after treatment

Fig.5 Effects of N supply level on relative growth rate in larch seedlings

Fig.6 Correlations between N supply level and N productivity of larch seedlings

Fig.7 Correlations between N supply level and special N absorption rate of larch seedlings

Fig.8 Relationships between whole plant N concentration and N concentrations of needle, stem and root in larch seedlings after 110-day-treatment Each point represents the mean of two seedlings

Fig.9 Correlations between whole plant N concentration and needle, stem and root weight ratios or N weight ratios in larch seedlings after 110-day-treatment Each point represents the mean of two seedlings

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