Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous Plants
Leaf nutrient resorption traits are regarded as important indicators reflecting the strategy of plant nutrient conservation, yet the mechanism underlying the variation of resorption traits in different plant growth forms (PGFs) remains unclear. In order to untangle the phylogenetic and environmental...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/5 |
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| author | Haoxuan Chen Shuang Chen Xiaochun Wang Xinrui Liu Xue Wang Rong Zhu Weiyi Mo Ruili Wang Shuoxin Zhang |
| author_facet | Haoxuan Chen Shuang Chen Xiaochun Wang Xinrui Liu Xue Wang Rong Zhu Weiyi Mo Ruili Wang Shuoxin Zhang |
| author_sort | Haoxuan Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Leaf nutrient resorption traits are regarded as important indicators reflecting the strategy of plant nutrient conservation, yet the mechanism underlying the variation of resorption traits in different plant growth forms (PGFs) remains unclear. In order to untangle the phylogenetic and environmental influences on leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption traits between woody and herbaceous plants, we investigated N and P contents of green and senesced leaves in 53 species along an altitudinal gradient (1374–3649 m) in the Taibai Mountain of central China and estimated leaf N and P resorption efficiency and proficiency. Our results show that leaf N and P resorption efficiency (NRE and PRE) had significant positive trends with altitude in both woody and herbaceous plants (all <i>p</i> < 0.05); however, their altitudinal patterns of N and P resorption proficiency (NRP and PRP) were different. For woody plants, leaf NRP and NRE:PRE first decreased and then increased with altitude (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while NRP:PRP had the opposite trend (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In herbaceous plants, leaf NRP and PRP decreased but NRP:PRP increased with altitude (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Climatic factors exerted the major influences on the variation in leaf NRE and PRE (18.5–24.8% explained variation). However, phylogenetic taxonomy mainly affected the variation of leaf PRP and NRP:PRP (45.2% and 41.4% explained variation) in all species, NRP:PRP in woody plants (37.8% explained variation), and NRE:PRE in herbaceous plants (49.7% explained variation). In addition, leaf NRP:PRP showed a significant phylogenetic signal (Blomberg’s <i>p</i> < 0.05). These results highlight the importance of taking PGFs and phylogenetic information into consideration when examining the interspecies variation in leaf resorption under environmental changes, which can advance our knowledge of plant nutrient utilization strategies in response to fluctuating environments and lay the groundwork for the development of complex element biogeochemical models. |
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| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:42:59Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-94a85376297644e2a2dfd94d8cfb94b62023-11-30T22:16:01ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-12-01141510.3390/f14010005Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous PlantsHaoxuan Chen0Shuang Chen1Xiaochun Wang2Xinrui Liu3Xue Wang4Rong Zhu5Weiyi Mo6Ruili Wang7Shuoxin Zhang8College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, ChinaLeaf nutrient resorption traits are regarded as important indicators reflecting the strategy of plant nutrient conservation, yet the mechanism underlying the variation of resorption traits in different plant growth forms (PGFs) remains unclear. In order to untangle the phylogenetic and environmental influences on leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption traits between woody and herbaceous plants, we investigated N and P contents of green and senesced leaves in 53 species along an altitudinal gradient (1374–3649 m) in the Taibai Mountain of central China and estimated leaf N and P resorption efficiency and proficiency. Our results show that leaf N and P resorption efficiency (NRE and PRE) had significant positive trends with altitude in both woody and herbaceous plants (all <i>p</i> < 0.05); however, their altitudinal patterns of N and P resorption proficiency (NRP and PRP) were different. For woody plants, leaf NRP and NRE:PRE first decreased and then increased with altitude (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while NRP:PRP had the opposite trend (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In herbaceous plants, leaf NRP and PRP decreased but NRP:PRP increased with altitude (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Climatic factors exerted the major influences on the variation in leaf NRE and PRE (18.5–24.8% explained variation). However, phylogenetic taxonomy mainly affected the variation of leaf PRP and NRP:PRP (45.2% and 41.4% explained variation) in all species, NRP:PRP in woody plants (37.8% explained variation), and NRE:PRE in herbaceous plants (49.7% explained variation). In addition, leaf NRP:PRP showed a significant phylogenetic signal (Blomberg’s <i>p</i> < 0.05). These results highlight the importance of taking PGFs and phylogenetic information into consideration when examining the interspecies variation in leaf resorption under environmental changes, which can advance our knowledge of plant nutrient utilization strategies in response to fluctuating environments and lay the groundwork for the development of complex element biogeochemical models.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/5leaf nutrient resorptionaltitudinal gradientenvironmental factorsphylogenyplant growth form |
| spellingShingle | Haoxuan Chen Shuang Chen Xiaochun Wang Xinrui Liu Xue Wang Rong Zhu Weiyi Mo Ruili Wang Shuoxin Zhang Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous Plants Forests leaf nutrient resorption altitudinal gradient environmental factors phylogeny plant growth form |
| title | Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous Plants |
| title_full | Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous Plants |
| title_fullStr | Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous Plants |
| title_short | Different Environmental and Phylogenetic Controls over the Altitudinal Variation in Leaf N and P Resorption Traits between Woody and Herbaceous Plants |
| title_sort | different environmental and phylogenetic controls over the altitudinal variation in leaf n and p resorption traits between woody and herbaceous plants |
| topic | leaf nutrient resorption altitudinal gradient environmental factors phylogeny plant growth form |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/5 |
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