Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully region

Accumulation of vegetation biomass is a crucial process for carbon fixation in the early stage of afforestation and a primary driving force for subsequent ecological functions. Accurately assessing the storage and allocation of elements in plantations is essential for their management and estimating...

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Main Authors: Huifeng Wu, Baoan Hu, Ying Ma, Wenkai Shi, Xiaoqin Cheng, Fengfeng Kang, Hairong Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2023-01-01
Series:Forest Ecosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2197562023000635
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author Huifeng Wu
Baoan Hu
Ying Ma
Wenkai Shi
Xiaoqin Cheng
Fengfeng Kang
Hairong Han
author_facet Huifeng Wu
Baoan Hu
Ying Ma
Wenkai Shi
Xiaoqin Cheng
Fengfeng Kang
Hairong Han
author_sort Huifeng Wu
collection DOAJ
description Accumulation of vegetation biomass is a crucial process for carbon fixation in the early stage of afforestation and a primary driving force for subsequent ecological functions. Accurately assessing the storage and allocation of elements in plantations is essential for their management and estimating carbon sink capacity. However, current knowledge of the storage and allocation patterns of elements within plant organs at the community level is limited. To clarify the distribution patterns of elements in plant organs at the community level, we measured the biomass within plant organs of five typical plantations in the early stage of afforestation in the loess hilly-gully region. We assessed the main drivers of element accumulation and distribution by employing redundancy analysis and random forest. Results revealed significant differences in biomass storages among plantations and a significant effect of plantation type on the storages of elements within plant organs. Furthermore, the dominant factors influencing C–N–P storage and allocation at the community level were found to be inconsistent. While the storage of elements was mainly influenced by stand openness, total soil nitrogen, and plant diversity, the allocation of elements in organs was mainly influenced by stand openness and soil water content. Overall, the spatial structure of the community had an important influence on both element storage and allocation, but soil conditions played a more important role in element allocation than in storage. Random forest results showed that at the community level, factors influencing element storage and allocation within plant organs often differed. The regulation of elemental storage could be regulated by the major growth demand resources, while the allocation was regulated by other limiting class factors, which often differed from those that had a significant effect on element storage. The differences in plant organ elemental storage and allocation drivers at the community level reflect community adaptation strategies and the regulation of resources by ecosystems in combination with plants. Our study provides valuable insights for enhancing plantation C sink estimates and serves as a reference for regulating element storage and allocation at the local scale.
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spelling doaj.art-5bdefec7477c4255b28ef01558745c442023-12-22T05:32:37ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Forest Ecosystems2197-56202023-01-0110100132Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully regionHuifeng Wu0Baoan Hu1Ying Ma2Wenkai Shi3Xiaoqin Cheng4Fengfeng Kang5Hairong Han6School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Qilaotu Mountain National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Chifeng, 024400, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Qilaotu Mountain National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Chifeng, 024400, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Qilaotu Mountain National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Chifeng, 024400, ChinaShanxi Forestry and Grassland Engineering Station, Taiyuan, 030000, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Qilaotu Mountain National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Chifeng, 024400, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Qilaotu Mountain National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Chifeng, 024400, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Qilaotu Mountain National Observation and Research Station of Chinese Forest Ecosystem, Chifeng, 024400, China; Corresponding author. School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.Accumulation of vegetation biomass is a crucial process for carbon fixation in the early stage of afforestation and a primary driving force for subsequent ecological functions. Accurately assessing the storage and allocation of elements in plantations is essential for their management and estimating carbon sink capacity. However, current knowledge of the storage and allocation patterns of elements within plant organs at the community level is limited. To clarify the distribution patterns of elements in plant organs at the community level, we measured the biomass within plant organs of five typical plantations in the early stage of afforestation in the loess hilly-gully region. We assessed the main drivers of element accumulation and distribution by employing redundancy analysis and random forest. Results revealed significant differences in biomass storages among plantations and a significant effect of plantation type on the storages of elements within plant organs. Furthermore, the dominant factors influencing C–N–P storage and allocation at the community level were found to be inconsistent. While the storage of elements was mainly influenced by stand openness, total soil nitrogen, and plant diversity, the allocation of elements in organs was mainly influenced by stand openness and soil water content. Overall, the spatial structure of the community had an important influence on both element storage and allocation, but soil conditions played a more important role in element allocation than in storage. Random forest results showed that at the community level, factors influencing element storage and allocation within plant organs often differed. The regulation of elemental storage could be regulated by the major growth demand resources, while the allocation was regulated by other limiting class factors, which often differed from those that had a significant effect on element storage. The differences in plant organ elemental storage and allocation drivers at the community level reflect community adaptation strategies and the regulation of resources by ecosystems in combination with plants. Our study provides valuable insights for enhancing plantation C sink estimates and serves as a reference for regulating element storage and allocation at the local scale.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2197562023000635AfforestationPlant organBiomass accumulationElement allocation
spellingShingle Huifeng Wu
Baoan Hu
Ying Ma
Wenkai Shi
Xiaoqin Cheng
Fengfeng Kang
Hairong Han
Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully region
Forest Ecosystems
Afforestation
Plant organ
Biomass accumulation
Element allocation
title Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully region
title_full Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully region
title_fullStr Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully region
title_full_unstemmed Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully region
title_short Vegetation C–N–P accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly-gully region
title_sort vegetation c n p accumulation and allocation patterns at the community level in early restored plantations in the loess hilly gully region
topic Afforestation
Plant organ
Biomass accumulation
Element allocation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2197562023000635
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