Ecological Stoichiometric Characteristics of Leaves, Branches, and Fine Roots of Typical Trees and Shrubs in Baiyinaobao National Nature Reserve

doi:10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2025.05.013

Abstract

Abstract:

To reveal nutrient limitation factors and nutrient utilization strategies of woody plants in semi-arid regions， the differences and correlations in the stoichiometric characteristics of carbon（C）， nitrogen（N）， and phosphorus（P） in leaves， branches， absorptive roots， and transport roots of three typical trees and three typical shrubs were examined in Baiyinaobao National Nature Reserve， Inner Mongolia. The results indicated that the mean C/N and C/P ratios in leaves of the six woody species were significantly lower than those in branches， absorptive roots， and transport roots， while the mean N/P ratio in absorptive roots was significantly higher than those in leaves， branches， and transport roots （P<0.05）. The mean C content in tree leaves and branches was significantly higher than that in shrubs， while the C content in absorptive roots and transport roots was significantly lower in trees compared to shrubs （P<0.05）. The mean C/N （22.45） and C/P ratios （291.04） in tree leaves were higher than those （16.16 and 153.70， respectively） in shrub leaves， while the mean C/N （43.84， 24.56， and 43.56） and C/P ratios （369.27， 555.20， and 800.79） in tree branches， absorptive roots， and transport roots were lower than those （the C/N ratios were 61.97， 32.31， and 52.69； the C/P ratios were 542.75， 725.56， and 813.76） in shrubs. Among all organs， only the mean N/P ratio in tree leaves（14.12） was significantly higher than that in shrubs（9.53）（P<0.05）. Leaf C content showed a highly significant positive correlation with the C and P contents in branches （P<0.01）， while N， P， C/N， and C/P in absorptive roots were significantly positively correlated with those in transport roots （P<0.05）. In contrast， correlations between aboveground and underground organs were relatively weak. In summary， the leaves of trees exhibited higher nutrient use efficiency， whereas the underground organs of shrubs demonstrated higher nutrient use efficiency. The distribution of C in leaves and branches and the distribution and utilization of N and P in absorptive roots and transport roots exhibited coordination.

Key words: ecological stoichiometry, organ, life form, Picea mongolica, semi-arid forest ecosystem

CLC Number:

S718.5

Xinyu YANG, Shuo ZHANG, Xiwen ZHANG, Qingshan ZHENG, Rilige SU, Jiacun GU. Ecological Stoichiometric Characteristics of Leaves, Branches, and Fine Roots of Typical Trees and Shrubs in Baiyinaobao National Nature Reserve[J]. Bulletin of Botanical Research, 2025, 45(5): 795-806.

Figures/Tables 7

Table 1

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地形 Terrain	纬度 Latitude /（°）	经度 Longitude /（°）	海拔 Elevation /m	坡度 Gradient /（°）	土壤含水率 Soil water content/%	土壤pH Soil pH	ω
地形 Terrain	纬度 Latitude /（°）	经度 Longitude /（°）	海拔 Elevation /m	坡度 Gradient /（°）	土壤含水率 Soil water content/%	土壤pH Soil pH	土壤全碳 Soil total carbon /（mg·g^-1）	土壤全氮 Soil total nitrogen /（mg·g^-1）	土壤全磷 Soil total phosphorus /（mg·g^-1）
阳坡 Sunny slope	43.53	117.19	1 363.00	24.67	10.14±0.85^b	6.57±0.20^a	46.29±7.54^b	3.77±0.38^b	0.38±0.04^a
阴坡 Shade slope	43.53	117.20	1 352.00	19.50	24.24±3.82^b	6.51±0.25^a	68.23±7.44^ab	5.52±0.60^ab	0.50±0.05^a
平地 Flat	43.52	117.21	1 331.00	0	49.17±10.40^a	6.02±0.23^a	90.56±18.04^a	6.97±1.22^a	0.45±0.07^a

指标 Index	平方和 Sum of squares	自由度 d_f	均方 Mean square	F	P
C	212.62	2	106.31	0.04	0.96
N	23.77	2	11.88	0.43	0.65
P	0.17	2	0.08	0.21	0.81
C/N	277.23	2	138.62	0.49	0.62
C/P	59 189.60	2	29 594.80	0.42	0.66
N/P	4.26	2	2.13	0.06	0.95

指标 Index	生活型 Life form			器官 Organ			生活型×器官 Life form×Organ
指标 Index	d_f	F	P	d_f	F	P	d_f	F	P
C	1	2.74	0.100	3	79.60	<0.001	3	15.97	<0.001
N	1	8.15	0.006	3	56.05	<0.001	3	3.79	0.010
P	1	1.41	0.240	3	71.74	<0.001	3	22.16	<0.001
C/N	1	14.97	<0.001	3	73.88	<0.001	3	7.40	<0.001
C/P	1	3.01	0.090	3	62.97	<0.001	3	5.50	0.002
N/P	1	6.51	0.010	3	86.11	<0.001	3	3.01	0.040