Open AccessEffects of soil C:N:P stoichiometry on biomass allocation in the alpine and arid steppe systems
Author(s) -
Wang Xiaodan,
Ma Xingxing,
Yan Yan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.2710
Subject(s) - arid , transect , biomass (ecology) , steppe , plateau (mathematics) , environmental science , nutrient , ecosystem , altitude (triangle) , latitude , soil science , agronomy , soil water , atmospheric sciences , ecology , geology , biology , mathematics , mathematical analysis , geometry , geodesy
Soil nutrients strongly influence biomass allocation. However, few studies have examined patterns induced by soil C:N:P stoichiometry in alpine and arid ecosystems. Samples were collected from 44 sites with similar elevation along the 220‐km transect at spatial intervals of 5 km along the northern Tibetan Plateau. Aboveground biomass ( AGB ) levels were measured by cutting a sward in each plot. Belowground biomass ( BGB ) levels were collected from soil pits in a block of 1 m × 1 m in actual root depth. We observed significant decreases in AGB and BGB levels but increases in the BGB : AGB ratio with increases in latitude. Although soil is characterized by structural complexity and spatial heterogeneity, we observed remarkably consistent C:N:P ratios within the cryic aridisols. We observed significant nonlinear relationships between the soil N:P and BGB : AGB ratios. The critical N:P ratio in soils was measured at approximately 2.0, above which the probability of BGB : AGB response to nutrient availability is small. These findings serve as interesting contributions to the global data pool on arid plant stoichiometry, given the previously limited knowledge regarding high‐altitude regions.