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Ouyang M, Tian D, Niklas KJ, Yan Z, Han W, Yu Q, Chen G, Ji C, Tang Z, Fang J. The scaling of elemental stoichiometry and growth rate over the course of bamboo ontogeny. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:1088-1099. [PMID: 37991013 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Stoichiometric rules may explain the allometric scaling among biological traits and body size, a fundamental law of nature. However, testing the scaling of elemental stoichiometry and growth to size over the course of plant ontogeny is challenging. Here, we used a fast-growing bamboo species to examine how the concentrations and contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), relative growth rate (G), and nutrient productivity scale with whole-plant mass (M) at the culm elongation and maturation stages. The whole-plant C content vs M and N content vs P content scaled isometrically, and the N or P content vs M scaled as a general 3/4 power function across both growth stages. The scaling exponents of G vs M and N (and P) productivity in newly grown mass vs M relationships across the whole growth stages decreased as a -1 power function. These findings reveal the previously undocumented generality of stoichiometric allometries over the course of plant ontogeny and provide new insights for understanding the origin of ubiquitous quarter-power scaling laws in the biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Ouyang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Di Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Karl J Niklas
- Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Zhengbing Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Wenxuan Han
- Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qingshui Yu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Guoping Chen
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Chengjun Ji
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhiyao Tang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jingyun Fang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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Downs KN, Kelly PT, Ascanio A, Vanni MJ. Ontogenetic variation in the ecological stoichiometry of 10 fish species during early development. Ecology 2023; 104:e4176. [PMID: 37782823 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
The chemical composition and stoichiometry of vertebrate bodies changes greatly during ontogeny as phosphorus-rich bones form, but we know little about the variation among species during early development. Such variation is important because element ratios in animal bodies influence which element limits growth and how animals contribute to nutrient cycling. We quantified ontogenetic variation from embryos through 2-3 months of age in 10 species of fish in six different families, ranging in adult size from 73 to 720 mm in length. We measured whole-body concentrations (percentage of dry mass) and ratios of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) as fish developed. We also quantified whole-body concentrations of calcium (Ca), because Ca should reflect bone development, and RNA, which can be a major pool of body P. To account for interspecific differences in adult size, we also examined how trends changed with relative size, defined as body length divided by adult length. Ontogenetic changes in body composition and ratios were relatively similar among species and were more similar when expressed as a function of relative size compared to age. Body P increased rapidly in all species (likely because of bone development) from embryos until individuals were ~5%-8% of adult size. Body N also increased, while body C, C:N, C:P, and N:P all decreased over this period. Body Ca increased with development but was more variable among species. Body RNA was low in embryos, increased rapidly in young larvae, then decreased as fish reached 5%-8% of adult size. After fish were about 5%-8% of adult size, changes in body composition were relatively slight for all elements and ratios. These results reveal a consistency in the dynamics of body stoichiometry during early ontogeny, presumably because of similar constraints on the allocation of elements to bones and other body pools. Because most changes occur when individuals are <1 month old (<10% of adult size for that species), early ontogenetic variation in body stoichiometry may be especially important for growth limitation of individuals and ecosystem-level nutrient cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsea N Downs
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA
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