Biogeographic patterns of nutrient resorption from Quercus variabilis Blume leaves across China

Abstract

The variation in nutrient resorption has been studied at different taxonomic levels and geographic ranges. However, the variable traits of nutrient resorption at the individual species level across its distribution are poorly understood. We examined the variability and environmental controls of leaf nutrient resorption of Quercus variabilis, a widely distributed species of important ecological and economic value in China. The mean resorption efficiency was highest for phosphorus (P), followed by potassium (K), nitrogen (N), sulphur (S), magnesium (Mg) and carbon (C). Resorption efficiencies and proficiencies were strongly affected by climate and respective nutrients concentrations in soils and green leaves, but had little association with leaf mass per area. Climate factors, especially growing season length, were dominant drivers of nutrient resorption efficiencies, except for C, which was strongly related to green leaf C status. In contrast, green leaf nutritional status was the primary controlling factor of leaf nutrient proficiencies, except for C. Resorption efficiencies of N, P, K and S increased significantly with latitude, and were negatively related to growing season length and mean annual temperature. In turn, N, P, K and S in senesced leaves decreased with latitude, likely due to their efficient resorption response to variation in climate, but increased for Mg and did not change for C. Our results indicate that the nutrient resorption efficiency and proficiency of Q. variabilis differed strongly among nutrients, as well as growing environments. Our findings provide important insights into understanding the nutrient conservation strategy at the individual species level and its possible influence on nutrient cycling.

Foliar nutrient resorption differs between arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal trees at local and global scales

“…The positive relationships between resorption (both in N and P) and absolute latitude for ECM trees were probably due to the relatively high resorption and the predominance of ECM trees in cold and high‐latitude areas. Previous studies also showed that ECM trees, such as Betula pubescens at four different sites in Sweden (Nordell & Karlsson, ) and Quercus variabilis in 16 provinces in China (Sun et al, ), had higher nutrient resorption at higher latitudes. Moreover, Oleksyn, Reich, Zytkowiak, Karolewski, and Tjoelker () found that even at the same site, ECM trees ( Pinus sylvestris ) from high latitudes still had higher nutrient resorption (both in N and P) than genotypes from low latitudes, suggesting that a more conservative nutrient use strategy for ECM trees may be a well‐conserved adaptation to relatively harsh (i.e., cold and wet) climates.…”

Simulated climate change decreases nutrient resorption from senescing leaves

“…Much research has been devoted to understand the nutritional control of nutrient resorption and several studies point to climatic effects on nutrient resorption (Oleksyn, Reich, Zytkowiak, Karolewski, & Tjoelker, 2003;Reich & Oleksyn, 2004;Sun et al, 2016;Yuan & Chen, 2009). However, little is known about the effects of ongoing climate change on this process (Brant & Chen, 2015, but see Aerts, Cornelissen, Van Logtestijn, & Callaghan, 2007;Norby, Long, Hartz-Rubin, & O'eill, 2000).…”

“…However, little is known about the effects of ongoing climate change on this process (Brant & Chen, 2015, but see Aerts, Cornelissen, Van Logtestijn, & Callaghan, 2007;Norby, Long, Hartz-Rubin, & O'eill, 2000). Variation in N and P resorption along large environmental gradients has been attributed to changes in mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation (Brant & Chen, 2015;Du et al, 2017;Sun et al, 2016;Yuan & Chen, 2009). At large spatial scales, plant nutrient concentrations (N, P, K) generally decrease with increasing mean annual temperature and decreasing mean annual rainfall (Reich & Oleksyn, 2004;Sardans et al, 2016).…”

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Resorption in Planted Forests Worldwide

“…Increasing demands for timber products have promoted more research on plantations, which require more nutrients for their rapid growth [15,16]. Nutrient resorption in planted forests is less studied, since many synthesis studies excluded data of nutrient resorption from plantations [5,7,17]. Additionally, few nutrient-resorption studies have separated planted forests from other forest types [18][19][20][21].…”