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Nutrient resorption of wetland graminoids is related to the type of nutrient limitation
Author(s) -
GÜSEWELL S.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
functional ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2435
pISSN - 0269-8463
DOI - 10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00967.x
Subject(s) - nutrient , biology , graminoid , wetland , phosphorus , dominance (genetics) , ecology , botany , zoology , agronomy , forb , grassland , chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , gene
Summary1 Nitrogen or phosphorus limits plant growth in many wetlands. If specific mechanisms reducing losses of the growth‐limiting nutrient have been favoured by selection, the N and P resorption efficiency (RE) during leaf senescence (NRE, PRE: the fraction of N or P resorbed) might depend on the type of nutrient limitation. 2 The size, mass, and N and P concentrations of green and senesced leaves were determined for 10 graminoid species at Dutch and Swiss wetland sites, with N : P ratios in leaves (6–27 by mass) indicating N or P limitation. 3 During senescence, leaf area decreased by 8–19%, and leaf mass by 8–38%; NRE ranged from 0 to 87%, and PRE from 30 to 96%. PRE correlated strongly with NRE ( r = 0·91) but was, on average, 17% higher. Within the Swiss or Dutch sites, NRE and PRE did not correlate with foliar N : P ratios, indicating that RE was not directly adjusted to the type of nutrient limitation. 4 NRE and PRE were, on average, higher at the P‐limited Swiss sites than at the N‐limited Dutch sites. Because PRE exceeded NRE, high RE would be most beneficial when P limits plant growth. This may have contributed to the dominance of graminoids with high RE in P‐limited wetlands.