Nitrogen and Phosphorous Dynamics with Stand Development of Plantations in Southeast China

Overview

Journal Front Plant Sci

Date 2023 Apr 10

PMID 37035087

Authors

Wen Guo

Pengyu Jiao

M Larry Lopez C

Zelong Chen

Lili Wei

Xian Liu

Yalin Hu

Yuzhe Wang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Nutrient resorption is a key mechanism to conserve nutrients and overcome nutrient limitation in perennial plants. As an important afforested tree species in subtropical regions, grows well in nutrient-poor environments, however, the age-related pattern of nutrient acquisition strategy and the underlying mechanisms in plantations remain unclear.

Methods: In this study, concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were measured in green and senesced needles, roots and soil samples collected from plantations with different stand ages (9-, 17-, 26-, 34- and 43-year-old) in south China. From these samples, nutrient resorption efficiency (RE) and stoichiometry were calculated.

Results: Needle PRE significantly decreased with stand age, while there was no clear pattern of NRE along the stand development. Green needle N:P in older stands was significantly lower than in younger ones. Senesced needle C:P and N:P significantly decreased with stand age. Root and soil available P concentrations were significantly higher in older stands than in younger ones, and PRE was negatively correlated with soil available P concentration.

Discussion: There was a shift from "conservative consumption" to "resource spending" P-use strategy, and P limitation decreased with stand development of plantations. The results provide information of changes in nutrients dynamics, which is relevant for the sustainable management of subtropical forest plantations.

Citing Articles

Comparative analysis of volume growth processes of Masson pine and Chinese fir forests in different regions of southern China.

Chen Y, Chai Z PeerJ. 2025; 13():e18706.

PMID: 39790452 PMC: 11716076. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.18706.

References

Xu M, Zhu Y, Zhang S, Feng Y, Zhang W, Han X . Global scaling the leaf nitrogen and phosphorus resorption of woody species: Revisiting some commonly held views. Sci Total Environ. 2021; 788:147807. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147807. View

Parton W, Silver W, Burke I, Grassens L, Harmon M, Currie W . Global-scale similarities in nitrogen release patterns during long-term decomposition. Science. 2007; 315(5810):361-4. DOI: 10.1126/science.1134853. View

Han W, Tang L, Chen Y, Fang J . Relationship between the relative limitation and resorption efficiency of nitrogen vs phosphorus in woody plants. PLoS One. 2013; 8(12):e83366. PMC: 3871644. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083366. View

Cleveland C, Houlton B, Smith W, Marklein A, Reed S, Parton W . Patterns of new versus recycled primary production in the terrestrial biosphere. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013; 110(31):12733-7. PMC: 3732943. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1302768110. View

Zeng Y, Fang X, Xiang W, Deng X, Peng C . Stoichiometric and nutrient resorption characteristics of dominant tree species in subtropical Chinese forests. Ecol Evol. 2018; 7(24):11033-11043. PMC: 5743644. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3527. View

LeBauer D, Treseder K . Nitrogen limitation of net primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystems is globally distributed. Ecology. 2008; 89(2):371-9. DOI: 10.1890/06-2057.1. View

Craine J, Morrow C, Stock W . Nutrient concentration ratios and co-limitation in South African grasslands. New Phytol. 2008; 179(3):829-836. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02513.x. View

England J, Attiwill P . Changes in sapwood permeability and anatomy with tree age and height in the broad-leaved evergreen species Eucalyptus regnans. Tree Physiol. 2007; 27(8):1113-24. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/27.8.1113. View

Luyssaert S, Staelens J, De Schrijver A . Does the commonly used estimator of nutrient resorption in tree foliage actually measure what it claims to?. Oecologia. 2005; 144(2):177-86. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-005-0085-5. View

10.

Chen F, Niklas K, Liu Y, Fang X, Wan S, Wang H . Nitrogen and phosphorus additions alter nutrient dynamics but not resorption efficiencies of Chinese fir leaves and twigs differing in age. Tree Physiol. 2015; 35(10):1106-17. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpv076. View

11.

Reed S, Townsend A, Davidson E, Cleveland C . Stoichiometric patterns in foliar nutrient resorption across multiple scales. New Phytol. 2012; 196(1):173-180. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04249.x. View

12.

Yuan Z, Chen H . Negative effects of fertilization on plant nutrient resorption. Ecology. 2015; 96(2):373-80. DOI: 10.1890/14-0140.1. View

13.

Hou E, Luo Y, Kuang Y, Chen C, Lu X, Jiang L . Global meta-analysis shows pervasive phosphorus limitation of aboveground plant production in natural terrestrial ecosystems. Nat Commun. 2020; 11(1):637. PMC: 6994524. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14492-w. View

14.

Liu X, Wang Y, Liu Y, Chen H, Hu Y . Response of Bacterial and Fungal Soil Communities to Chinese Fir () Long-Term Monoculture Plantations. Front Microbiol. 2020; 11:181. PMC: 7058989. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00181. View

15.

Elser J, Bracken M, Cleland E, Gruner D, Harpole W, Hillebrand H . Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecol Lett. 2007; 10(12):1135-42. DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01113.x. View

16.

Chang Y, Li N, Wang W, Liu X, Du F, Yao D . Nutrients resorption and stoichiometry characteristics of different-aged plantations of Larix kaempferi in the Qinling Mountains, central China. PLoS One. 2017; 12(12):e0189424. PMC: 5731737. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189424. View