Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground Organs
The stoichiometry of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (C:N:P) among leaves, stems, and roots reflects trade-offs in plants for acquiring resources and their growth strategy. The widely distributed plant Alhagi sparsifolia is an ideal species to study the ecological stoichiometry in different organs...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.698961/full |
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| author | Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hongwei Zheng Hongwei Zheng Hongwei Zheng Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Guanghui Lv Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Corina Graciano |
| author_facet | Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hongwei Zheng Hongwei Zheng Hongwei Zheng Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Guanghui Lv Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Corina Graciano |
| author_sort | Hui Yin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The stoichiometry of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (C:N:P) among leaves, stems, and roots reflects trade-offs in plants for acquiring resources and their growth strategy. The widely distributed plant Alhagi sparsifolia is an ideal species to study the ecological stoichiometry in different organs in response to the availability of nutrients and water in the desert ecosystem. However, which response of organs is most sensitive to environmental conditions is still unclear. To answer this question, we collected samples of plants and soils including not only aboveground leaves and stems, but also underground roots and soils from a wide range of arid areas during the growing season. The C, N, P, C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios in leaves, thorns, stems, and roots were derived to explore their relationship as well as their response mechanisms to nutrients and water spanning 1 m deep in the soil. The results showed that the order of N concentration was leaves > thorns > stems > roots, that the concentration of P in the leaves, thorns, and stems was similar, and that their values were higher than those in the roots. First, the C:N ratios in the leaves and stems were significantly positively correlated with the ratio in roots. The C:N ratios in each organ showed a significant relationship with the soil alkali hydrolyzable nitrogen (SAN) above a depth of 60 cm. In addition to SAN, soil available phosphorus (SAP) and soil organic carbon (SOC) affect the C:N ratio in the roots. Second, the C:P and N:P ratios in aboveground organs showed no correlations with the ratios in roots. The C:P and N:P ratios in the leaves and thorns have no relationship with soil nutrients, while the C:P ratio in roots was influenced by SAN and SOC in all soil layers. Finally, the N:P ratios in roots were also affected by nutrients in different soil depths at 0–20 and 60–80 cm. These results illustrate that the roots were more sensitive to soil nutrients than the aboveground parts. Our study of ecological stoichiometry also suggests a novel systematic approach for analyzing the sensitivity of responses of an organ to environmental conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T19:17:18Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T19:17:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3ca47abfba64739b07aa99f3dd918c92022-12-21T23:34:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2021-10-011210.3389/fpls.2021.698961698961Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground OrgansHui Yin0Hui Yin1Hui Yin2Hui Yin3Hui Yin4Hongwei Zheng5Hongwei Zheng6Hongwei Zheng7Bo Zhang8Bo Zhang9Bo Zhang10Bo Zhang11Akash Tariq12Akash Tariq13Akash Tariq14Akash Tariq15Guanghui Lv16Fanjiang Zeng17Fanjiang Zeng18Fanjiang Zeng19Fanjiang Zeng20Corina Graciano21College of Resource and Environment Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaXinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaCele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaResearch Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaXinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaCele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaXinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaCele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, ChinaCollege of Resource and Environment Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaXinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, ChinaCele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, ChinaInstituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaThe stoichiometry of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (C:N:P) among leaves, stems, and roots reflects trade-offs in plants for acquiring resources and their growth strategy. The widely distributed plant Alhagi sparsifolia is an ideal species to study the ecological stoichiometry in different organs in response to the availability of nutrients and water in the desert ecosystem. However, which response of organs is most sensitive to environmental conditions is still unclear. To answer this question, we collected samples of plants and soils including not only aboveground leaves and stems, but also underground roots and soils from a wide range of arid areas during the growing season. The C, N, P, C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios in leaves, thorns, stems, and roots were derived to explore their relationship as well as their response mechanisms to nutrients and water spanning 1 m deep in the soil. The results showed that the order of N concentration was leaves > thorns > stems > roots, that the concentration of P in the leaves, thorns, and stems was similar, and that their values were higher than those in the roots. First, the C:N ratios in the leaves and stems were significantly positively correlated with the ratio in roots. The C:N ratios in each organ showed a significant relationship with the soil alkali hydrolyzable nitrogen (SAN) above a depth of 60 cm. In addition to SAN, soil available phosphorus (SAP) and soil organic carbon (SOC) affect the C:N ratio in the roots. Second, the C:P and N:P ratios in aboveground organs showed no correlations with the ratios in roots. The C:P and N:P ratios in the leaves and thorns have no relationship with soil nutrients, while the C:P ratio in roots was influenced by SAN and SOC in all soil layers. Finally, the N:P ratios in roots were also affected by nutrients in different soil depths at 0–20 and 60–80 cm. These results illustrate that the roots were more sensitive to soil nutrients than the aboveground parts. Our study of ecological stoichiometry also suggests a novel systematic approach for analyzing the sensitivity of responses of an organ to environmental conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.698961/fulldesert plantecological stoichiometryleguminous plantnutrientswater stresssoil depths |
| spellingShingle | Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hui Yin Hongwei Zheng Hongwei Zheng Hongwei Zheng Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Bo Zhang Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Akash Tariq Guanghui Lv Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Fanjiang Zeng Corina Graciano Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground Organs Frontiers in Plant Science desert plant ecological stoichiometry leguminous plant nutrients water stress soil depths |
| title | Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground Organs |
| title_full | Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground Organs |
| title_fullStr | Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground Organs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground Organs |
| title_short | Stoichiometry of C:N:P in the Roots of Alhagi sparsifolia Is More Sensitive to Soil Nutrients Than Aboveground Organs |
| title_sort | stoichiometry of c n p in the roots of alhagi sparsifolia is more sensitive to soil nutrients than aboveground organs |
| topic | desert plant ecological stoichiometry leguminous plant nutrients water stress soil depths |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.698961/full |
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