Variation in nutrient resorption by desert shrubs

Drenovsky, Rebecca E.; James, Jeremy J.; Richards, James H.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.05.030

Cited by 42 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Due to their short growing season and slow growth, tundra plants often exhibit luxury consumption (e.g., van Wijk, Williams, Gough, Hobbie, & Shaver, ), raising green leaf nutrient concentrations and potentially limiting resorption. In desert and xeric species, plasticity in senesced leaf N is common (e.g., Killingbeck, ; Drenovsky et al, ), likely due to inter‐annual variation in precipitation and thus soil nutrient availability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Where data exist, however, inter‐annual variation has been significant. For example, data from a 6‐year field survey of California chaparral shrubs and trees (Drenovsky et al, ) and a 3‐year field survey of Great Basin and Mojave Desert shrubs (Drenovsky, James, & Richards, ) indicated that the coefficient of variation for N and P resorption proficiency ranged from 13–97% across the 33 taxa studied. Temporal patterns in N and P resorption were not similar among species within these studies, suggesting that variation in N and P resorption may respond to different drivers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Temporal patterns in N and P resorption were not similar among species within these studies, suggesting that variation in N and P resorption may respond to different drivers. Furthermore, variation was not well correlated with climate (temperature and precipitation), indicating these traits may depend on synergistic effects of multiple factors, including soil properties, climate drivers and plant morphology (Drenovsky et al, ). Importantly, all but two species included in these studies had at least one individual attain complete N resorption proficiency (in which ‘complete’ resorption represents < 7 g/kg leaf litter N and indicates high resorption proficiency, sensu Killingbeck, ), with similar trends observed for P resorption proficiency.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Global temporal patterns in plant nutrient resorption plasticity

Drenovsky

Pietrasiak

Short

2019

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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Aim Leaf nutrient resorption is a key nutrient conservation trait, which also influences nutrient cycling rates and pools. Most global biogeochemical models assume that resorption is non‐varying at a temporal scale. However, this trait can differ substantially within populations among years. We assessed the commonality of attaining proficient resorption, the factors associated with proficient resorption, as well as the variability of this trait and the factors controlling trait variability. Location Global. Time period 1965–2009. Major taxa studied Plants. Methods We compiled multi‐year nutrient resorption data from the literature, representing 50 studies, 94 unique study locations, and 141 species from 53 families and 29 orders. We used multiple linear regression to relate resorption data, as well as the variability in this trait, expressed as the coefficient of variation, to environmental factors. Results Resource availability was a key driver of resorption, with nutrient‐poor soils associated with more complete resorption and lower resorption plasticity. Nitrogen and phosphorus resorption differentially responded to some drivers, such as leaf habit, soil order and mycorrhizal status. Main conclusions Overall, environmental and biological factors representing a strong selective force for nutrient conservation, such as nutrient‐poor soil orders, semi‐arid soil moisture regimes, or lack of plant mutualists, were associated with complete resorption, whereas incomplete resorption was associated with weak selective forces, such as nutrient‐rich soil orders, or factors impeding this physiological process (e.g., drought). Inter‐annual variability in resorption was common, particularly for phosphorus. This plasticity has implications for ecosystem nutrient cycling and plant productivity, and accounting for this plasticity in dynamic models of nutrient cycling will improve predictions of nutrient limitations and productivity under future climate conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Global temporal patterns in plant nutrient resorption plasticity

Drenovsky

Pietrasiak

Short

2019

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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“…Nutrient resorption is another vital nutrient conservation mechanism in desert plants adapted to water stress and N- and P-limited environments (Drenovsky et al. 2010). It is known that the pattern of N and P conservation differs between plant growth forms (e.g., perennial grass and shrub), but is also mediated by aridity gradients.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient levels within leaves, stems, and roots of the xeric species Reaumuria soongorica in relation to geographical, climatic, and soil conditions

Zhang

Tan

et al. 2015

Ecology and Evolution

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Besides water relations, nutrient allocation, and stoichiometric traits are fundamental feature of shrubs. Knowledge concerning the nutrient stoichiometry of xerophytes is essential to predicting the biogeochemical cycling in desert ecosystems as well as to understanding the homoeostasis and variability of nutrient traits in desert plants. Here, we focused on the temperate desert species Reaumuria soongorica and collected samples from plant organs and soil over 28 different locations that covered a wide distributional gradient of this species. Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations and their stoichiometry were determined and subsequently compared with geographic, climatic, and edaphic factors. The mean leaf C, N, and P concentrations and C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios were 371.6 mg g−1, 10.6 mg g−1, 0.73 mg g−1, and 59.7, 837.9, 15.7, respectively. Stem and root C concentrations were higher than leaf C, while leaf N was higher than stem and root N. Phosphorus concentration and N/P did not differ among plant organs. Significant differences were found between root C/N and leaf C/N as well as between root C/P and leaf C/P. Leaf nutrient traits respond to geographic and climatic factors, while nutrient concentrations of stems and roots are mostly affected by soil P and pH. We show that stoichiometric patterns in different plant organs had different responses to environmental variables. Studies of species-specific nutrient stoichiometry can help clarify plant–environment relationships and nutrient cycling patterns in desert ecosystems.

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“…Nutrient resorption has been examined in desert plants spanning a variety of growth forms and habitats (Killingbeck, 1993(Killingbeck, , 1996Killingbeck and Whitford, 2001;Drenovsky et al, 2010), and has been measured for nitrogen in desert plants growing under elevated [CO 2 ] (Billings et al, 2003). In this study, we measured nutrient resorption efficiencies and proficiencies in two species of drought-deciduous desert shrubs grown under present and elevated [CO 2 ] in above-, near-and below-average rainfall years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%