Water Supply Changes N and P Conservation in a Perennial Grass Leymus chinensis

Changes in precipitation can influence soil water and nutrient availability, and thus affect plant nutrient conservation strategies. Better understanding of how nutrient conservation changes with variations in water availability is crucial for predicting the potential influence of global climate change on plant nutrient-use strategy. Here, green-leaf nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） concentrations, N- and P-resorption proficiency （the terminal N and P concentration in senescent leaves, NRP and PRP, respectively）, and N- and P-resorption efficiency （the proportional N and P withdrawn from senescent leaves prior to abscission, NRE and PRE, respectively） of Leymus chinensis （Trin.） Tzveh, a typical perennial grass species in northern China, were examined along a water supply gradient to explore how plant nutrient conservation responds to water change. Increasing water supply at low levels （〈 9000 mL/year） increased NRP, PRP and PRE, but decreased green-leaf N concentration. It did not significantly affect green-leaf P concentration or NRE. By contrast, all N and P conservation indicators were not significantly influenced at high water supply levels （〉 9000 mL/year）. These results indicated that changes in water availability at low levels could affect leaf-level nutrient characteristics, especially for the species in semiarid ecosystems. Therefore, global changes in precipitation may pose effects on plant nutrient economy, and thus on nutrient cycling in the plant-soil systems.

Effect of shrub encroachment on leaf nutrient resorption in temperate wetlands in the Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China

Background:Nutrient resorption is an important plant nutrient conservation strategy in wetlands.However,how shrub encroachment alters plant nutrient resorption processes is unclear in temperate wetlands.Here,we collected green and senesced leaves of common sedge,grass,and shrub species in wetlands with high(50–65%)and low(20–35%)shrub covers in the Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China,and assessed the impact of shrub encroachment on leaf nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)resorption efficiency and proficiency at both plant growth form and community levels.Results:The effects of shrub cover on leaf nutrient resorption efficiency and proficiency were identical among shrubs,grasses,and sedges.Irrespective of plant growth forms,increased shrub cover reduced leaf N resorption efficiency and proficiency,but did not alter leaf P resorption efficiency and proficiency.However,the effect of shrub cover on leaf nutrient resorption efficiency and proficiency differed between plant growth form and community levels.At the community level,leaf N and P resorption efficiency decreased with increasing shrub cover because of increased dominance of shrubs with lower leaf nutrient resorption efficiency over grasses and sedges.Accordingly,community‑level senesced leaf N and P concentrations increased with elevating shrub cover,showing a decline in leaf N and P resorption proficiency.Moreover,the significant relationships between leaf nutrient resorption efficiency and proficiency indicate that shrub encroachment increased senesced leaf nutrient concentrations by decreasing nutrient resorption efficiency.Conclusions:These observations suggest that shrub encroachment reduces community‑level leaf nutrient resorp‑tion efficiency and proficiency and highlight that the effect of altered plant composition on leaf nutrient resorption should be assessed at the community level in temperate wetlands.