Effect of environment and genetics on leaf N and P stoichiometry for Quercus acutissima across China

Abstract

Plant stoichiometry varies mainly with environment and taxonomic affiliation (genetics). Understanding how environment and genetics regulate plant stoichiometry would help us to better understand stoichiometric homeostasis. Recent studies quantified the effect of environment and genetics on plant stoichiometry for multispecies over a large scale, but few studied the effect within a given species. Provenance tests are best suited to study the effect of environment (site) and genetics (provenance) on stoichiometry and assess the homeostasis for a given species. We determined leaf N and P concentrations for 29 Quercus acutissima provenances, from across the distribution in China, grown in three common gardens with different environments. Compared to the statistically insignificant provenance effect, site effect was large and statistically significant for leaf N and P stoichiometry (P \ 0.05), with 43.47, 44.04, and 59.38 % of the total variations accounted for leaf N and P concentrations and N/P ratio, respectively. Meanwhile, the slopes of SMA (Standardized Major Axis) for leaf N concentration and N/P ratio, and leaf P concentration and N/P ratio, remained similar among the sites. Our results suggest that leaf N and P stoichiometry is mainly impacted by environment for a given species, and relative stability of leaf stoichiometric relationships is found independent of site environment, which supports stoichiometric homeostasis.

Effect of Wind on the Relation of Leaf N, P Stoichiometry with Leaf Morphology in Quercus Species

“…Leaf stoichiometric relationships vary among plant life form [10], sizes [38], ages [39,40], and environmental gradients [41]. But stoichiometric relationships are not found to differ along soil nutrient gradients or latitudinal gradients [42,43]. In this study, our findings supported the claim that stoichiometric relationships remain stable under different wind conditions, with a synchronous variation between leaf N and P concentrations.…”

Halophytes Differ in Their Adaptation to Soil Environment in the Yellow River Delta: Effects of Water Source, Soil Depth, and Nutrient Stoichiometry

“…C, N, and P are the essential elements of organisms, and have strong interactions in biological function (Sterner and Elser, 2002). Plant stoichiometry varies mainly with environment and taxonomic affiliation (Zhang et al, 2016). In this study, C content in roots and leaves of P. communis were highest among the three halophytes, indicating that P. communis has a stronger ability of carbon fixation by photosynthesis.…”

Leaf N and P stoichiometry in relation to leaf shape and plant size for Quercus acutissima provenances across China

“…Table 2 provides the climatic and soil variables for each common garden. Details on provenance selection, seed handling, and seedlings have been previously described36. The 36 provenances were planted with a 2 m × 3 m spacing, using a randomized complete block design with six blocks for each provenance and six plants for each block along the mountain slopes in each common garden.…”

“…The 36 provenances were planted with a 2 m × 3 m spacing, using a randomized complete block design with six blocks for each provenance and six plants for each block along the mountain slopes in each common garden. Every two blocks as a group were located in the bottom, middle, and top of slopes, respectively36. In September 2013, fully expanded and sun-exposed leaves from the 29 provenances that had 100% survival in all three common gardens were selected for the study (Fig.…”

“…Plantations established for provenance testing, where multiple seed sources of a given species were planted in common gardens at the same time, provide a good opportunity for studying the stoichiometry under the same (with one common garden) or different (across several common gardens) environments353637.…”