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Hu G, Zhang Z, Li L. Responses of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents and stoichiometry in soil and fine roots to natural vegetation restoration in a tropical mountainous area, Southern China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1181365. [PMID: 37229113 PMCID: PMC10203608 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1181365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The stoichiometry of key elements such as C, N, and P is an important indicator of ecosystem nutrient status and biogeochemical cycling. Nevertheless, the responses of soil and plant C:N:P stoichiometric characteristics to natural vegetation restoration remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated C, N, and P contents and stoichiometry in soil and fine roots along vegetation restoration stages (grassland, shrubland, secondary forest, and primary forest) in a tropical mountainous area in southern China. We found that soil organic carbon, total N, C:P ratio, and N:P ratio significantly increased with vegetation restoration and significantly decreased with increasing soil depth, whereas there was no significant effect on soil total P and C:N ratio. Furthermore, vegetation restoration significantly increased the fine root N and P content and N:P ratio, whereas soil depth significantly decreased the fine root N content and increased the C:N ratio. The increasing average N:P ratio in fine roots from 17.59 to 21.45 suggested that P limitation increased with vegetation restoration. There were many significant correlations between C, N, and P contents and their ratios in soil and fine roots, indicating a reciprocal control of nutrient stoichiometric characteristics between them. These results contribute to our understanding of changes in soil and plant nutrient status and biogeochemical cycling during vegetation restoration and provide valuable information for restoration and management of tropical ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Hu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
- Key Laboratory of Wildlife Evolution and Conservation in Mountain Ecosystem of Guangxi, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Nanning Normal University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhonghua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Wildlife Evolution and Conservation in Mountain Ecosystem of Guangxi, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Nanning Normal University, Nanning, China
| | - Lei Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
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Ding D, Arif M, Liu M, Li J, Hu X, Geng Q, Yin F, Li C. Plant-soil interactions and C:N:P stoichiometric homeostasis of plant organs in riparian plantation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:979023. [PMID: 35979078 PMCID: PMC9376457 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.979023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stoichiometric ratios give valuable insight into ecosystem function. The purpose of the present study is to probe into the C, N, and P stoichiometric characteristics in various organs and their relationships with soil factors of the dominant deciduous conifer plant species (Taxodium ascendens and Taxodium distichum) during afforestation in the riparian zone of Three Gorges Reservoir. The results showed only a small change in the concentration of C in different plant organs and soils. T. ascendens contained mean N and P concentrations of 7.63 and 1.54 g/kg in fine roots, 5.10 and 0.56 g/kg in stems, and 15.48 and 2.30 g/kg in leaves, respectively. Whereas T. distichum had a mean N and P concentration of 7.08 and 1.37 g/kg in fine roots, 4.84 and 0.59 g/kg in stems, and 16.89 and 2.23 g/kg in leaves. The N:P ratios in all organs were below 14, indicating that N may have inhibited tree growth. The fine roots P and N:P of T. distichum were weak plasticity and weak homeostasis, and those of T. ascendens were plasticity and weak plasticity. Their stems and leaves adhere to strict homeostasis. N concentrations were significantly positively related to P concentrations in every tissue (except the stems of T. ascendens), and C concentrations were significantly positively associated with P concentrations in the stems and leaves of T. ascendens and T. distichum (p < 0.05). Likewise, soil P and fine root P were positively associated (p < 0.01). This study contributes to the understanding of deciduous conifer plant stoichiometry. It demonstrates N, P, and N:P stoichiometric homeostasis in T. ascendens and T. distichum, which can withstand flooding and are suitable for vegetation restoration in the hydro-fluctuation zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Ding
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Muhammad Arif
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Minghui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiajia Li
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qianwen Geng
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fan Yin
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Changxiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Changxiao Li,
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