N and P stoichiometry of plant and soil in lower subtropical forest successional series in southern China

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.01.010

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two key elements of life and are major limiting nutrients in many ecosystems across the world. The balance of N and P has become the focal point of global change ecology and biogeochemistry, especially as aggravated by atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Although N:P stoichiometry has proved useful in studies of nutrient limitation, biogeochemical cycles, forest succession and degraded land, little is known about it in lower subtropical forest succession. Therefore, our objective is to better understand nutrient controlling factors of plant-soil interaction and reveal interactions of N and P to provide insight and theoretical fundamentals for forest management.

Methods We measured total N and P of organs of dominant species and different soil layers in three forests in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, Southern China: pine forest (PF, early successional stage), pine and broad-leaved mixed forest (MF, middle stage) and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest (MEBF, advanced stage).

Important findings Soil N content in the 0-10 cm soil layer increased with succession; values in PF, MF and MEBF were 0.440, 0.843 and 1.023 g·kg^-1, respectively. The largest value of P content in the same layer was in MF (0.337 g·kg^-1); the values in PF and MEBF were 0.190 and 0.283 g·kg^-1, respectively. Plant foliage N and P content decreased with succession; the largest values for roots were in MF, and the values in PF equaled those in MEBF. Soil N:P ratio in the 0-10 cm layer significantly increased with succession; 2.3, 2.5 and 3.6, respectively. The N:P ratio of various plant organs also increased with succession, and the value in foliage was close to that in roots; the foliage N:P ratios were 22.7, 25.3 and 29.6, respectively. We discussed the characteristics of N:P ratios in soil and plants of the lower subtropical forest ecosystem, the law of N:P ratios in soil and plants in successional series, and the limiting effect of P on the lower subtropical forest ecosystem.

Key words: forest succession, lower subtropics, N:P ratio, ecosystem, stoichiometry

LIU Xing-Zhao, ZHOU Guo-Yi, ZHANG De-Qiang, LIU Shi-Zhong, CHU Guo-Wei, YAN Jun-Hua. N and P stoichiometry of plant and soil in lower subtropical forest successional series in southern China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(1): 64-71.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.01.010

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2010/V34/I1/64

Figures/Tables 5

Fig. 1 Soil total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations among three forest types at different succession stages in Dinghushan. Different letters indicate significant differences at the confidence level of p < 0.05 in the same soil layer among the three forests. Data source: 2005. MEBF, monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest; MF, mixed forest; PF, pine forest.

Fig. 2 Plant total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations among three types of forests at different succession stages in Dinghushan. Data source: MEBF, from 1992 to 2005; MF, from 2001 to 2006; PF, from 1992 to 2006. Different letters indicate significant differences at the confidence level of p<0.05 in the same plant parts among the three forests; MEBF, MF, PF, see Fig. 1.

Table 1 Differences between the common species at different succession stages

共有种 Common species¹⁾	叶 Leaf			根 Root
共有种 Common species¹⁾	N	P	N:P	N	P	N:P
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	0.179	0.001**	0**	0.793	0**	0**
荷木 Schima superba	0**	0.064	0**	0.092	0.043*	0.101
锥栗 Castanopsis chinensis	0.621	0.230	0.27	0.020*	0**	0.001**

Fig. 3 N:P ratio in the soil of three types of forests in Dinghushan. MEBF, MF, PF, see Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 N:P ratio in the plant of three types of forests in Dinghushan. Different letters indicate significant differences at the confidence level of p < 0.05 in the same plant parts among the three forests. MEBF, MF, PF, see Fig. 1.

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