Effects of tree size and organ age on variations in carbon,nitrogen,and phosphorus stoichiometry in Pinus koraiensis

Carbon(C),nitrogen(N),and phosphorus(P)are of fundamental importance for growth and nutrient dynamics within plant organs and deserve more attention at regional to global scales.However,our knowledge of how these nutrients vary with tree size,organ age,or root order at the individual level remains limited.We determined C,N,and P contents and their stoichiometric ratios(i.e.,nutrient traits)in needles,branches,and fine roots at different organ ages(0-3-year-old needles and branches)and root orders(1st-4th order roots)from 64 Pinus koraiensis of varying size(Diameter at breast height ranged from 0.3 to 100 cm)in northeast China.Soil factors were also measured.The results show that nutrient traits were regulated by tree size,organ age,or root order rather than soil factors.At a whole-plant level,nutrient traits decreased in needles and fine roots but increased in branches with tree size.At the organ level,age or root order had a negative effect on C,N,and P and a positive effect on stoichiometric ratios.Our results demonstrate that nutrient variations are closely related to organ-specific functions and ecophysiological processes at an individual level.It is suggested that the nutrient acquisition strategy by younger trees and organ fractions with higher nutrient content is for survival.Conversely,nutrient storage strategy in older trees and organ fractions are mainly for steady growth.Our results clarified the nutrient utilization strategies during tree and organ ontogeny and suggest that tree size and organ age or root order should be simultaneously considered to understand the complexities of nutrient variations.

Adsorption of benzene, cyclohexane and hexane on ordered mesoporous carbon

Ordered mesoporous carbon（OMC） with high specific surface area and large pore volume was synthesized and tested for use as an adsorbent for volatile organic compound（VOC）disposal. Benzene, cyclohexane and hexane were selected as typical adsorbates due to their different molecular sizes and extensive utilization in industrial processes. In spite of their structural differences, high adsorption amounts were achieved for all three adsorbates, as the pore size of OMC is large enough for the access of these VOCs. In addition, the unusual bimodal-like pore size distribution gives the adsorbates a higher diffusion rate compared with conventional adsorbents such as activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve. Kinetic analysis suggests that the adsorption barriers mainly originated from the difficulty of VOC vapor molecules entering the pore channels of adsorbents. Therefore, its superior adsorption ability toward VOCs, together with a high diffusion rate, makes the ordered mesoporous carbon a promising potential adsorbent for VOC disposal.