J Plant Ecol ›› 2015, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (5): 530-538 .DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtu042

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Resorption efficiency of leaf nutrients in woody plants on Mt. Dongling of Beijing, North China

Jianhua Zhang1,2, Zhiyao Tang3,*, Yongkai Luo1, Xiulian Chi3, Yahan Chen1, Jingyun Fang1 and Haihua Shen1   

  1. 1 State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China; 2 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China; 3 Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
  • Received:2014-04-08 Accepted:2014-12-05 Published:2015-09-16
  • Contact: Tang, Zhiyao

Resorption efficiency of leaf nutrients in woody plants on Mt. Dongling of Beijing, North China

Abstract: Aims To explore resorption efficiency of nitrogen (NRE) and phosphorus (PRE) of woody plants in relation to soil nutrient availability, climate and evolutionary history, in North China.
Methods We measured concentrations of nitrogen ([N]) and phosphorus ([P]) in both full expanded mature green and senescent leaves of the same individuals for 88 woody species from 10 sites of Mt. Dongling, Beijing, China. We built a phylogenetic tree for all these species and compared NRE and PRE among life forms (trees, shrubs and woody lianas) and between functional groups (N-fixers and non-N-fixers). We then explored patterns of NRE and PRE along gradients of mean annual temperature (MAT), soil inorganic N and available P, and phylogeny using a general linear model.
Important findings Mass-based NRE (NRE m) and PRE (PRE m) averaged 57.4 and 61.4%, respectively, with no significant difference among life forms or functional groups. Neither NRE m nor PRE m exhibited significant phylogenetic signals, indicating that NRE m and PRE m were not phylogenetically conserved. NRE m was not related to [N] in green leaves; PRE m was positively correlated with [P] in green leaves; however, this relationship disappeared for different groups. NRE m decreased with [N] in senescent leaves, PRE m decreased with [P] in senescent leaves, for all species combined and for trees and shrubs. NRE m decreased with soil inorganic N for all species and for shrubs; PRE m did not exhibit a significant trend with soil available P for all species or for different plant groups. Neither NRE m nor PRE m was significantly related to MAT for overall species and for species of different groups.

Key words: nitrogen concentration, phosphorus concentration, senesced leaves, nitrogen resorption efficiency, phosphorus resorption efficiency, soil nutrient, climate

摘要:
Aims To explore resorption efficiency of nitrogen (NRE) and phosphorus (PRE) of woody plants in relation to soil nutrient availability, climate and evolutionary history, in North China.
Methods We measured concentrations of nitrogen ([N]) and phosphorus ([P]) in both full expanded mature green and senescent leaves of the same individuals for 88 woody species from 10 sites of Mt. Dongling, Beijing, China. We built a phylogenetic tree for all these species and compared NRE and PRE among life forms (trees, shrubs and woody lianas) and between functional groups (N-fixers and non-N-fixers). We then explored patterns of NRE and PRE along gradients of mean annual temperature (MAT), soil inorganic N and available P, and phylogeny using a general linear model.
Important findings Mass-based NRE (NRE m) and PRE (PRE m) averaged 57.4 and 61.4%, respectively, with no significant difference among life forms or functional groups. Neither NRE m nor PRE m exhibited significant phylogenetic signals, indicating that NRE m and PRE m were not phylogenetically conserved. NRE m was not related to [N] in green leaves; PRE m was positively correlated with [P] in green leaves; however, this relationship disappeared for different groups. NRE m decreased with [N] in senescent leaves, PRE m decreased with [P] in senescent leaves, for all species combined and for trees and shrubs. NRE m decreased with soil inorganic N for all species and for shrubs; PRE m did not exhibit a significant trend with soil available P for all species or for different plant groups. Neither NRE m nor PRE m was significantly related to MAT for overall species and for species of different groups.