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Liu B, Zhang C, Deng J, Zhang B, Chen F, Chen W, Fang X, Li J, Zu K, Bu W. Response of tree growth to nutrient addition is size dependent in a subtropical forest. Sci Total Environ 2024; 923:171501. [PMID: 38447724 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how nutrient addition affects the tree growth is critical for assessing forest ecosystem function and processes, especially in the context of increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deposition. Subtropical forests are often considered N-rich and P-poor ecosystems, but few existing studies follow the traditional "P limitation" paradigm, possibly due to differences in nutrient requirements among trees of different size classes. We conducted a three-year fertilization experiment with four treatments (Control, N-treatment, P-treatment, and NP-treatment). We measured soil nutrient availability, leaf stoichiometry, and relative growth rate (RGR) of trees across three size classes (small, medium and large) in 64 plots. We found that N and NP-treatments increased the RGR of large trees. P-treatment increased the RGR of small trees. RGR was mainly affected by N addition, the total effect of P addition was only 10 % of that of N addition. The effect of nutrient addition on RGR was mainly regulated by leaf stoichiometry. This study reveals that nutrient limitation is size dependent, indicating that continuous unbalanced N and P deposition will inhibit the growth of small trees and increase the instability of subtropical forest stand structure, but may improve the carbon sink function of large trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Cancan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiulianshan National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Jun Deng
- Administration of Jiulianshan National Nature Reserve, Ganzhou 341799, China
| | - Bowen Zhang
- Administration of Jiulianshan National Nature Reserve, Ganzhou 341799, China
| | - Fusheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiulianshan National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Administration of Jiulianshan National Nature Reserve, Ganzhou 341799, China
| | - Xiangmin Fang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Jianjun Li
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Kuiling Zu
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Wensheng Bu
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Jiulianshan National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China.
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Liu Y, Liu B, Yue Z, Zeng F, Li X, Li L. Effects of short-term nitrogen and phosphorus addition on leaf stoichiometry of a dominant alpine grass. PeerJ 2022; 9:e12611. [PMID: 35036130 PMCID: PMC8710051 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of increasing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deposition on the nutrient stoichiometry of soil and plant are gaining improving recognition. However, whether and how the responses of N cycle coupled with P of the soil–plant system to external N and P deposition in alpine grassland is still unclear. A short-term external N and P addition experiment was conducted in an alpine grazing grassland in the KunLun Mountain to explore the effects of short-term N and P addition on the nutrient stoichiometry in soil and plant. Different rates of N addition (ranging from 0.5 g N m−2 yr−1 to 24 g N m−2 yr−1) and P addition (ranging from 0.05 g N m−2 yr−1 to 3.2 g P m−2 yr−1) were supplied, and the soil available N, P, leaf N and P stoichiometry of Seriphidium rhodanthum which dominant in the alpine ecosystem were measured. Results showed that N addition increased soil inorganic N, leaf C, leaf N, and leaf N:P ratio but decreased soil available P and leaf C:P. Furthermore, P addition increased soil available P, leaf P, soil inorganic N, leaf N, and leaf C and reduced leaf C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios. Leaf N:P was positively related to N addition gradient. Leaf C:P and leaf N:P were significantly negatively related to P addition gradient. Although external N and P addition changed the value of leaf N:P, the ratio was always lower than 16 in all treatments. The influences of P addition on soil and plant mainly caused the increase in soil available P concentration. In addition, the N and P cycles in the soil–plant system were tightly coupled in P addition but decoupled in N addition condition. The nutrient stoichiometry of soil and leaf responded differently to continuous N and P addition gradients. These data suggested that the alpine grazing grassland was limited by P rather than N due to long-term N deposition and uniform fertilization. Moreover, increasing P addition alleviated P limitation. Therefore, the imbalanced N and P input could change the strategy of nutrient use of the grass and then change the rates of nutrient cycling in the alpine grassland ecosystem in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- YaLan Liu
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, Xinjiang, China.,State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Lab. of Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Zewei Yue
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, Xinjiang, China.,State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyi Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, Xinjiang, China.,State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, Xinjiang, China.,State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Zhu D, Hui D, Wang M, Yang Q, Yu S. Light and competition alter leaf stoichiometry of introduced species and native mangrove species. Sci Total Environ 2020; 738:140301. [PMID: 32806386 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Ecological stoichiometry is the study of the balance of ecosystem energy and nutrient cycling, especially carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). C, N, and P are the key elements for plant growth and metabolism. Systematic research on leaf stoichiometry in mangrove forest ecosystems is still lacking. To understand the leaf stoichiometry of introduced species and native species in mangrove forests, we selected four species (one introduced species, Sonneratia apetala, and three native species, Avicennia marina, Aegiceras corniculatum, and Kandelia obovate) and measured leaf C, N, and P contents under different light conditions. The results showed that there were significant negative scaling relationships of leaf C versus N and C versus P but positive scaling relationships of leaf N versus P in the four mangrove species. Light and competition had significant effects on leaf stoichiometry, especially under the full light condition. S. apetala influenced leaf elements in a mixture with native species. Interspecific competition reduced leaf N and P contents in A. corniculatum and K. obovate but increased leaf N and P contents in A. marina. Leaf N and P contents of the four species showed similar responses to both intraspecific and interspecific competition. The ratio of leaf C:N:P (108:11:1) in the mangrove forests was lower than that in other ecosystems, and species with a higher growth rate had a higher leaf P content and lower N:P ratio, supporting the growth rate hypothesis. Leaf N:P was 11.04, indicating that there was N limitation in the mangrove forests. This systematic research of leaf stoichiometry of mangrove forests improves our understanding of mangrove growth and nutrient use strategies in response to different environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehuang Zhu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Shenzhen Research Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 518054, China
| | - Dafeng Hui
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville 37209, USA
| | - Mengqi Wang
- Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve, Shenzhen 518040, China
| | - Qiong Yang
- Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve, Shenzhen 518040, China
| | - Shixiao Yu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Shenzhen Research Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 518054, China.
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