Impacts of nitrogen addition on foliar nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Mount Wuyi

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2016.0110

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Our purpose was to explore the effects of nitrogen addition on foliar nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and N:P stoichiometry and to assess their differences among different species and functional groups.
Methods N addition experiment has been conducted in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Mount Wuyi, Fujian Province since 2011. Foliar concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were measured and foliar stoichiometry was estimated in tree, shrub, herb, fern and moss species following the N addition treatments from 2013 to 2015.
Important findings Generally, foliar N increased for almost all species and herbaceous plants are much more sensitive than trees and shrubs under N addition. Foliar N of Castanopsis carlesii, Amomum villosum, Woodwardia japonica increased significantly under N addition. Foliar P for most species was sensitive to the N addition. Foliar P of herbaceous plants increased significantly but foliar P of Leucobryum chlorophyllosum decreased significantly. The results showed the subtropical evergreen forest in Mount Wuyi was mainly limited by P and mean foliar N:P ratios enhanced from 18.67 to 19.72 under N addition, indicating that the strength of P limitation was enhanced by N addition. N:P ratios of the dominant arboreal species in the communities tended to be stable, while N:P ratios of herbaceous plants and shrubs increased. The changes in N:P ratios were mainly determined by P dynamics instead of N dynamics under N addition, and our results confirmed that increasing N availability can affect P cycling.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201611002

Key words: nitrogen addition, foliar stoichiometry, nitrogen concentration, phosphorus concentration, subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, Mount Wuyi

Qiao-Shu-Yi WANG, Cheng-Yang ZHENG, Xin-Yang ZHANG, Fa-Xu ZENG, Juan XING. Impacts of nitrogen addition on foliar nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Mount Wuyi[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2016, 40(11): 1124-1135.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2016.0110

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2016/V40/I11/1124

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1 Effects of N addition on foliar N concentrations, P concentrations and N:P ratios in different functional groups (mean ± SE). CK, LN, MN and HN indicate that N addition were 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N?hm-2?a-1, respectively. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between treatments at p < 0.05 levels. A, D, G, Trees. B, E, H, Shrubs. C, F, I, Understory plants.

Fig. 2 Effects of N addition on foliar N concentrations of nine species (mean ± SE). A, Castanopsis carlesii. B, Machilus pauhoi. C, Cunninghamia lanceolata. D, Dendropanax dentiger. E, Eurya japonica. F, Rhododendron henryi. G, Amomum villosum. H, Woodwardia japonica. I, Leucobryum chlorophyllosum. CK, LN, MN and HN indicate that N addition were 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N?hm-2?a-1, respectively. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between treatments at p < 0.05 levels.

Fig. 3 Effects of N addition on foliar P concentrations of nine species (mean ± SE). A, Castanopsis carlesii. B, Machilus pauhoi. C, Cunninghamia lanceolata. D, Dendropanax dentiger. E, Eurya japonica. F, Rhododendron henryi. G, Amomum villosum. H, Woodwardia japonica. I, Leucobryum chlorophyllosum. CK, LN, MN and HN indicate that N addition were 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N?hm-2?a-1, respectively. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between treatments at p < 0.05 levels.

Fig. 4 Effects of N addition on foliar N:P ratios of nine species (mean ± SE). A, Castanopsis carlesii. B, Machilus pauhoi. C, Cunninghamia lanceolata. D, Dendropanax dentiger. E, Eurya japonica. F, Rhododendron henryi. G, Amomum villosum. H, Woodwardia japonica. I, Leucobryum chlorophyllosum. CK, LN, MN and HN indicate that N addition were 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N?hm-2?a-1, respectively. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between treatments at p < 0.05 levels.

Fig. 5 Correlations between the relative effect of foliar N:P ratios and the relative effect of N or P concentrations. HN, LN, MN indicate that N addition were 150, 50 and 100 kg N·hm-2·a-1, respectively.

Table 1 Soil nutrient status under different N addition treatments (mean ± SE)

土层深度 Soil depth (cm)	处理 Treatment	全碳 Total C (mg?g^-1)	全氮 Total N (mg?g^-1)	全磷 Total P (mg?g^-1)	N:P N:P ratios	pH
0-5	CK	47.44 ± 9.22	3.39 ± 0.02	0.41 ± 0.02^a	8.28 ± 0.30^a	4.27 ± 0.22
	LN	49.53 ± 3.69	3.65 ± 0.11	0.47 ± 0.02^b	7.83 ± 0.07^ab	4.43 ± 0.15
	MN	43.75 ± 3.53	3.24 ± 0.10	0.43 ± 0.01^ab	7.54 ± 0.12^b	4.42 ± 0.19
	HN	45.59 ± 5.64	3.32 ± 0.16	0.46 ± 0.02^ab	7.26 ± 0.22^b	4.45 ± 0.06
5-10	CK	36.93 ± 7.59	2.62 ± 0.20	0.39 ± 0.02	6.75 ± 0.21^a	4.40 ± 0.17
	LN	36.27 ± 3.25	2.81 ± 0.09	0.43 ± 0.02	6.57 ± 0.31^a	4.49 ± 0.14
	MN	28.38 ± 5.53	2.32 ± 0.17	0.40 ± 0.02	5.76 ± 0.18^b	4.44 ± 0.14
	HN	31.37 ± 2.13	2.44 ± 0.08	0.41 ± 0.01	6.04 ± 0.22^ab	4.58 ± 0.06

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