Nitrogen allocation and partitioning within a leguminous and two non-leguminous plant species growing at the southern fringe of China’s Taklamakan Desert

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.09.003

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims We previously found that non-leguminous species had a higher photosynthetic rate despite lower leaf N content. Nitrogen is a critical factor limiting plant growth in the desert. Our objectives were to determine if, as hypothesized, non-leguminous species have lower leaf N content, allocate a lower fraction of leaf N to photosynthesis and have higher maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_max) and photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE).

Methods We compared the leguminous species Alhagi sparsifolia and non-leguminous species Karelinia caspica and Tamarix ramosissima in their typical habitat at the southern fringe of China’s Taklamakan Desert.

Important findings As hypothesized, the non-leguminous species had significantly lower leaf N content and allocated a lower fraction of leaf N to photosynthesis. They also were more efficient in photosynthetic N partitioning. The non-leguminous species partitioned a higher fraction of the photosynthetic N to carboxylation and showed higher use efficiency of the photosynthetic N, while the leguminous species partitioned a higher fraction of the photosynthetic N to light-harvesting components. For the non-leguminous species, the higher fraction of leaf N allocated to carboxylation and bioenergetics led to higher P_max and therefore to higher PNUE, water-use efficiency and apparent quantum yield. These physiological advantages of the non-leguminous species and their higher leaf area ratio may contribute to their higher resource capture ability.

Key words: legume species, nitrogen allocation, non-legume species, photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency, Taklamakan Desert

ZHU Jun-Tao, LI Xiang-Yi, ZHANG Xi-Ming, LIN Li-Sha, YANG Shang-Gong. Nitrogen allocation and partitioning within a leguminous and two non-leguminous plant species growing at the southern fringe of China’s Taklamakan Desert[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(9): 1025-1032.

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变量 Variables	花花柴 Karelinia caspica	柽柳 Tamarix ramosissima	骆驼刺 Alhagi sparsifolia	F值 F value
表观量子产额 Apparent quantum requirement (AQY) (mol·mol^-1)	0.038 ± 0.003^a	0.034 ± 0.004^a	0.029 ± 0.002^b	3.625^*
最大净光合速率 Maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_max) (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	11.7 ± 2.3^a	9.5 ± 3.0^a	6.9 ± 1.3^b	12.724^**
最大电子传递速率 Maximum electron transport rate (J_max) (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	105.2 ± 10.1^a	94.8 ± 7.5^b	87.8 ± 6.3^b	5.615^*
最大羧化速率 Maximum carboxylation efficiency (V_cmax) (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	62.5 ± 3.7^a	38.7 ± 4.6^b	30.8 ± 2.5^c	10.082^**
叶氮在羧化系统的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to carboxylation (P_C) (g·g^-1)	0.23 ± 0.04^a	0.11 ± 0.03^b	0.07 ± 0.02^c	5.579^***
叶氮在生物力能学组分的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to bioenergetics (P_B) (g·g^-1)	0.04 ± 0.003	0.03 ± 0.003	0.03 ± 0.002	3.832
P_C、P_B之和 The sum of P_C and P_B (P_{C + B}) (g·g^-1)	0.27 ± 0.05^a	0.14 ± 0.03^b	0.10 ± 0.02^c	6.215^***
叶氮在捕光系统的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to light-harvesting components (P_L) (g·g^-1)	0.16 ± 0.02^b	0.20 ± 0.02^b	0.29 ± 0.04^a	8.232^**
叶氮在光合系统的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to all components of the photosynthetic apparatus (P_T) (g·g^-1)	0.43 ± 0.03^a	0.39 ± 0.05^b	0.38 ± 0.05^b	10.253^**
叶氮在羧化系统的数量 Nitrogen content in carboxylation (N_C) (g·m^-2)	0.48 ± 0.04^a	0.31 ± 0.02^b	0.23 ± 0.03^c	12.325^***
叶氮在生物力能学组分的数量 Nitrogen content in bioenergetics (N_B) (g·m^-2)	0.08 ± 0.005	0.08 ± 0.003	0.07 ± 0.005	2.323
N_C、N_B之和 The sum of N_Cand N_B (N_{C + B}) (g·m^-2)	0.55 ± 0.03^a	0.39 ± 0.02^b	0.31 ± 0.03^c	14.536^***
叶氮在捕光系统的数量 Nitrogen content in light-harvesting components (N_L) (g·m^-2)	0.43 ± 0.02^b	0.56 ± 0.03^b	0.97 ± 0.02^a	8.752^***
叶氮在光合系统的数量 Nitrogen content in all components of the photosynthetic apparatus (N_P) (g·m^-2)	0.89 ± 0.06^b	0.96 ± 0.05^b	1.27 ± 0.07^a	5.672^**
N_C、N_P 之比 The fraction of the photosynthetic nitrogen partitioned to carboxylation (N_C/N_P)	0.54 ± 0.04^a	0.32 ± 0.05^b	0.18 ± 0.07^c	10.517^***
N_B、N_P 之比 The fraction of the photosynthetic nitrogen partitioned to bioenergetics (N_B/N_P)	0.09 ± 0.01^a	0.08 ± 0.01^a	0.06 ± 0.01^b	4.265^*
N_L、N_P 之比 The fraction of the photosynthetic nitrogen partitioned to light-harvesting components (N_L/N_P)	0.37 ± 0.02^c	0.58 ± 0.04^b	0.76 ± 0.05^a	13.360^***
单位面积叶氮含量 Leaf nitrogen content per area (N_A) (g·m^-2)	2.07 ± 0.10^c	2.81 ± 0.09^b	3.33 ± 0.13^a	9.226^**
光合氮素利用效率 Photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE) (μmol·g^-1·s^-1)	9.50 ± 0.93^a	8.89 ± 0.75^a	5.82 ± 0.28^b	6.054^**
P_max、N_P 之比 Photosynthetic-use efficiency of the photosynthetic nitrogen (P_max/N_P) (μmol·g^-1·s^-1)	13.15 ± 1.55^a	9.86 ± 1.24^b	5.43 ± 1.15^c	4.835^***
气孔导度 Stomatal conductance (G_s) (mol·m^-2·s^-1)	0.26 ± 0.02	0.25 ± 0.02	0.24 ± 0.03	3.324
胞间 CO₂ 浓度 Intercellular CO₂concentration (C_i) (μmol·mol^-1)	220.5 ± 7.2	230.6 ± 5.5	237.8 ± 7.0	4.458
叶绿素含量 Leaf chlorophyll content (Chl) (μmol·m^-2)	0.24 ± 0.04^b	0.22 ± 0.03^b	0.46 ± 0.05^a	5.725^**
叶生物量分数 Leaf mass fraction (LMF) (g·g^-1)	0.65 ± 0.03^a	0.58 ± 0.04^a	0.35 ± 0.03^b	16.535^***
叶面积比 Leaf area ratio (LAR) (cm²·g^-1)	97.5 ± 5.8^a	88.7 ± 7.5^a	58.5 ± 5.5^b	10.336^**
比叶面积 Specfic leaf area (SLA) (cm²·g^-1)	153.4 ± 18.3^a	145.2 ± 22.7^b	141.5 ± 17.8^b	2.415^**

变量 Variables	花花柴 Karelinia caspica	柽柳 Tamarix ramosissima	骆驼刺 Alhagi sparsifolia	F值 F value
表观量子产额 Apparent quantum requirement (AQY) (mol·mol^-1)	0.038 ± 0.003^a	0.034 ± 0.004^a	0.029 ± 0.002^b	3.625^*
最大净光合速率 Maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_max) (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	11.7 ± 2.3^a	9.5 ± 3.0^a	6.9 ± 1.3^b	12.724^**
最大电子传递速率 Maximum electron transport rate (J_max) (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	105.2 ± 10.1^a	94.8 ± 7.5^b	87.8 ± 6.3^b	5.615^*
最大羧化速率 Maximum carboxylation efficiency (V_cmax) (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	62.5 ± 3.7^a	38.7 ± 4.6^b	30.8 ± 2.5^c	10.082^**
叶氮在羧化系统的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to carboxylation (P_C) (g·g^-1)	0.23 ± 0.04^a	0.11 ± 0.03^b	0.07 ± 0.02^c	5.579^***
叶氮在生物力能学组分的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to bioenergetics (P_B) (g·g^-1)	0.04 ± 0.003	0.03 ± 0.003	0.03 ± 0.002	3.832
P_C、P_B之和 The sum of P_C and P_B (P_{C + B}) (g·g^-1)	0.27 ± 0.05^a	0.14 ± 0.03^b	0.10 ± 0.02^c	6.215^***
叶氮在捕光系统的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to light-harvesting components (P_L) (g·g^-1)	0.16 ± 0.02^b	0.20 ± 0.02^b	0.29 ± 0.04^a	8.232^**
叶氮在光合系统的比例 The fraction of the total leaf nitrogen allocated to all components of the photosynthetic apparatus (P_T) (g·g^-1)	0.43 ± 0.03^a	0.39 ± 0.05^b	0.38 ± 0.05^b	10.253^**
叶氮在羧化系统的数量 Nitrogen content in carboxylation (N_C) (g·m^-2)	0.48 ± 0.04^a	0.31 ± 0.02^b	0.23 ± 0.03^c	12.325^***
叶氮在生物力能学组分的数量 Nitrogen content in bioenergetics (N_B) (g·m^-2)	0.08 ± 0.005	0.08 ± 0.003	0.07 ± 0.005	2.323
N_C、N_B之和 The sum of N_Cand N_B (N_{C + B}) (g·m^-2)	0.55 ± 0.03^a	0.39 ± 0.02^b	0.31 ± 0.03^c	14.536^***
叶氮在捕光系统的数量 Nitrogen content in light-harvesting components (N_L) (g·m^-2)	0.43 ± 0.02^b	0.56 ± 0.03^b	0.97 ± 0.02^a	8.752^***
叶氮在光合系统的数量 Nitrogen content in all components of the photosynthetic apparatus (N_P) (g·m^-2)	0.89 ± 0.06^b	0.96 ± 0.05^b	1.27 ± 0.07^a	5.672^**
N_C、N_P 之比 The fraction of the photosynthetic nitrogen partitioned to carboxylation (N_C/N_P)	0.54 ± 0.04^a	0.32 ± 0.05^b	0.18 ± 0.07^c	10.517^***
N_B、N_P 之比 The fraction of the photosynthetic nitrogen partitioned to bioenergetics (N_B/N_P)	0.09 ± 0.01^a	0.08 ± 0.01^a	0.06 ± 0.01^b	4.265^*
N_L、N_P 之比 The fraction of the photosynthetic nitrogen partitioned to light-harvesting components (N_L/N_P)	0.37 ± 0.02^c	0.58 ± 0.04^b	0.76 ± 0.05^a	13.360^***
单位面积叶氮含量 Leaf nitrogen content per area (N_A) (g·m^-2)	2.07 ± 0.10^c	2.81 ± 0.09^b	3.33 ± 0.13^a	9.226^**
光合氮素利用效率 Photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE) (μmol·g^-1·s^-1)	9.50 ± 0.93^a	8.89 ± 0.75^a	5.82 ± 0.28^b	6.054^**
P_max、N_P 之比 Photosynthetic-use efficiency of the photosynthetic nitrogen (P_max/N_P) (μmol·g^-1·s^-1)	13.15 ± 1.55^a	9.86 ± 1.24^b	5.43 ± 1.15^c	4.835^***
气孔导度 Stomatal conductance (G_s) (mol·m^-2·s^-1)	0.26 ± 0.02	0.25 ± 0.02	0.24 ± 0.03	3.324
胞间 CO₂ 浓度 Intercellular CO₂concentration (C_i) (μmol·mol^-1)	220.5 ± 7.2	230.6 ± 5.5	237.8 ± 7.0	4.458
叶绿素含量 Leaf chlorophyll content (Chl) (μmol·m^-2)	0.24 ± 0.04^b	0.22 ± 0.03^b	0.46 ± 0.05^a	5.725^**
叶生物量分数 Leaf mass fraction (LMF) (g·g^-1)	0.65 ± 0.03^a	0.58 ± 0.04^a	0.35 ± 0.03^b	16.535^***
叶面积比 Leaf area ratio (LAR) (cm²·g^-1)	97.5 ± 5.8^a	88.7 ± 7.5^a	58.5 ± 5.5^b	10.336^**
比叶面积 Specfic leaf area (SLA) (cm²·g^-1)	153.4 ± 18.3^a	145.2 ± 22.7^b	141.5 ± 17.8^b	2.415^**