Spatial Distribution of Leymus chinensis Is Not Determined by Its Ecological Stoichiometry

Abstract

Leymus chinensis is a widely distributed species of Eurasian grasslands that is well adapted to a range of environmental conditions. In this study, we measured soil and plant chemical elements to examine the basis of the ecological adaptations of L. chinensis to temperate steppe. We sampled leaves of L. chinensis and soil layers at different latitudes in temperate steppe for three consecutive years from 2012 to 2014. One-way analysis of variance and linear regression were used to analyze the variation in foliar nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents and the N:P ratio in L. chinensis. The correlations between the foliar N:P ratio and the variation in soil total nitrogen (TN) and total P contents with latitudinal gradient were measured to explore the homeostasis stoichiometry of foliar N and P in L. chinensis. With increasing latitude, both the foliar N and P contents of L. chinensis showed parabolic trends with significant negative correlations. The population of L. chinensis was limited by N, and the soil TN content showed a significant increasing trend with the increase in the foliar N:P ratio. The variation in the foliar N:P ratio of L. chinensis was determined through the variation in the soil N content. In different latitude intervals, the foliar N, P, and N:P ratio of L. chinensis showed absolute stability and strong internal stability, and the values of HN:P were high and similar in different latitudes. In conclusion, the population of L. chinensis in the temperate steppe is highly adaptable; and, thus, can maintain a dominant position in the variable environment and has a wide distribution range.