Plasticity in leaf and stem nutrient resorption proficiency potentially reinforces plant-soil feedbacks and microscale heterogeneity in a semi-arid grassland

Abstract Aims Nutrient resorption is a key plant nutrient conservation strategy, and its response to environmental and management changes is linked to nutrient cycling and production of ecosystems. Defoliation is a major pathway of mowing affecting plant nutrient resorption and production in grasslands, while the effect of defoliation timing has not been unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of defoliation timing on plant nutrient resorption and production in a steppe ecosystem. Methods We conducted a field experiment in a semi-arid steppe of Inner Mongolia including four treatments: early defoliation, peak defoliation, late defoliation and non-defoliation. We measured plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption at species and community levels, and quantified plant N and P fluxes in resorption, litter return and hay output. Plant production in the mowing system was assessed by hay production and quality. Important Findings Peak and late defoliation, but not early defoliation, reduced plant community N and P resorption proficiency (RP); and late defoliation reduced N resorption efficiency (RE) but not P resorption efficiency. Peak and late defoliation, but not early defoliation, reduced plant nutrient resorption flux and litter nutrient return flux. Defoliation timing did not alter root nutrient accumulation as nutrient uptake from soil likely compensated the deficit of nutrient resorption. Peak defoliation had the highest hay production and quality, while early defoliation had the lowest. Our results provide new insights into the nutrient cycling in mowing grassland, and imply that the mowing timing can be used as a tool to mediate the balance between conservation and production of steppes, and the early mowing before plant peak biomass period is recommended for conservation of the steppes while keeping sustainable pastoral production.

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Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Resorption Responses of Alfalfa to Increasing Soil Water and P Availability in a Semi-Arid Environment

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10020310 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 310 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Meng Kong ◽

Jing Kang ◽

Cheng-Long Han ◽

Yan-Jie Gu ◽

Kadambot H.M Siddique ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Forage Yield ◽

Nutrient Resorption ◽

P Availability ◽

P Fertilization ◽

Resorption Efficiency ◽

P Concentration ◽

K Concentration ◽

The Relationship ◽

Semi Arid

In semi-arid areas, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is widely grown, but its growth is often restricted due to limited rainfall and soil nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P). Nutrient resorption is an effective strategy for dealing with nutrient shortages. Alleviation of these limited resources using film mulch and P fertilization—which are common practices in semi-arid areas—can affect the internal recycling of such nutrients. Little is known about such effects in alfalfa and the relationship between resorption efficiency and forage yield. We conducted a two-year field experiment in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China using film mulch and P fertilization to investigate the response to long-term increasing soil water and P availability on leaf nitrogen (N), P, and potassium (K) concentrations and nutrient resorption characteristics in alfalfa. In green leaves, mulching significantly increased P concentration by an average of 5.5% but it had no significant effect on N concentration over two years, and it decreased K concentration by 16.1% in 2017. P fertilization significantly increased N concentrations to a greater degree in 2018 (8.1%) than 2017 (1.6%). P fertilization also significantly increased P concentrations by an average of 34.1% over two years. In contrast, P fertilization significantly decreased K concentration in the mulched treatment by an average of 17.3% in 2017 and 21.8% in 2018, but it had no effect in the no-mulch treatment. In senescent leaves, mulching significantly increased N concentration by an average of 3.9% and P concentration by an average of 16.7%, but it had no significant effect on K concentration over two years, while P fertilization significantly decreased N and K concentrations over two years by an average of 7.5%, and 32.8%, respectively. P fertilization significantly increased senesced P concentration by an average of 11.9% in 2017 and 17.5% in 2018; and year × mulching × P fertilization had a significant interaction on senesced leaf P concentration. For resorption efficiency, mulching decreased P resorption efficiency by an average of 3.0%, but it had no impact on N or K resorption efficiency, while P fertilization increased the N, P, and K resorption efficiencies in alfalfa by an average of 6.8%, 6.2%, and 76.4% over two years, respectively. Interactive effects of mulching and P fertilization were found on P and K resorption efficiencies over time. In addition, N and K resorption efficiencies were significantly higher in 2018 than in 2017. The application of P fertilizer without mulching resulted in positive correlations between forage yield and N, P, and K resorption efficiencies, but no correlations were observed under film mulch. That is, mulching changed the relationship between forage yield and N, P, and K resorption efficiencies in alfalfa, suggesting that N, P, and K resorption efficiencies may not be related to high yield. Our results provide new insights into the role of nutrient resorption in alfalfa in response to increasing soil water and P availability and the relationship between resorption efficiency and forage yield, which will help us to improve alfalfa yield in semi-arid regions.

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Nutrient resorption responses to water and nitrogen amendment in semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia, China

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-009-0078-y ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 327 (1-2) ◽

pp. 481-491 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

Xiao-Tao Lü ◽

Xing-Guo Han

Keyword(s):

Inner Mongolia ◽

Nutrient Resorption ◽

Nitrogen Amendment ◽

Semi Arid

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Biochar Amendment Alters the Nutrient-Use Strategy of Moso Bamboo Under N Additions

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.667964 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jinpei Gao ◽

Quan Li ◽

Junbo Zhang ◽

Kunkai Cui ◽

Zhizhuang Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Nutrient ◽

Moso Bamboo ◽

Nutrient Resorption ◽

Nutrient Concentrations ◽

Plant Nutrient ◽

N Addition ◽

Resorption Proficiency ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Negative Effect ◽

N Resorption

Nutrient resorption can affect plant growth, litter decomposition, and nutrient cycling. Although the effects of nitrogen (N) and biochar fertilizers on soil nutrient concentrations and plant nutrient uptake have been studied, an understanding of how combined applications of N and biochar affect plant nutrient resorption in plantations is lacking. In this study, we applied N (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg N ha−1 yr−1 defined as N0, N30, N60, and N90, respectively) and biochar (0, 20, and 40 t biochar ha−1 defined as BC0, BC20, and BC40, respectively) to the soil of a Moso bamboo plantation. We investigated the effects of these treatments on N and phosphorus (P) resorption by young and mature bamboo plants, as well as the relationships between nutrient resorption and leaf and soil nutrient concentrations. Young bamboo showed significantly greater foliar N resorption efficiency (NRE) and P resorption efficiency (PRE) than mature bamboo. N addition alone significantly increased the N resorption proficiency (NRP) and P resorption proficiency (PRP) but significantly decreased the NRE and PRE of both young and mature bamboo. In both the N-free and N-addition treatments, biochar amendments significantly reduced the foliar NRE and PRE of young bamboo but had the opposite effect on mature bamboo. Foliar NRE and PRE were significantly negatively correlated with fresh leaf N and P concentrations and soil total P concentration but significantly positively correlated with soil pH. Our findings suggest that N addition inhibits plant nutrient resorption and alters the nutrient-use strategy of young and mature bamboo from “conservative consumption” to “resource spending.” Furthermore, biochar amendment enhanced the negative effect of N addition on nutrient resorption in young bamboo but reduced the negative effect on that of mature bamboo under N-addition treatments. This study provides new insights into the combined effects of N and biochar on the nutrient resorption of Moso bamboo and may assist in improving fertilization strategies in Moso bamboo plantations.

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Plant-soil feedback of two legume species in semi-arid Brazil

Brazilian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1007/s42770-019-00125-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 1011-1020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tancredo Augusto Feitosa de Souza ◽

Djail Santos ◽

Leonaldo Alves de Andrade ◽

Helena Freitas

Keyword(s):

Legume Species ◽

Plant Soil ◽

Soil Feedback ◽

Semi Arid

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Increased precipitation induces a positive plant-soil feedback in a semi-arid grassland

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-014-2349-5 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 389 (1-2) ◽

pp. 211-223 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Haiyan Ren ◽

Zhuwen Xu ◽

Jianhui Huang ◽

Xiaotao Lü ◽

De-Hui Zeng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Soil ◽

Soil Feedback ◽

Semi Arid

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Nutrient resorption response to fire and nitrogen addition in a semi-arid grassland

Ecological Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.12.013 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 534-538 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Xiao-Tao Lü ◽

Qiang Cui ◽

Qi-Bing Wang ◽

Xing-Guo Han

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Addition ◽

Nutrient Resorption ◽

Semi Arid

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Effects of three coniferous plantation species on plant‐soil feedbacks and soil physical and chemical properties in semi‐arid mountain ecosystems

Forest Ecosystems ◽

10.1186/s40663-021-00281-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chun Han ◽

Yongjing Liu ◽

Cankun Zhang ◽

Yage Li ◽

Tairan Zhou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Physicochemical Properties ◽

Soil Fertility ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Nutrient ◽

Soil Physicochemical Properties ◽

Plantation Forest ◽

Plant Soil ◽

Plantation Species ◽

Semi Arid

Abstract Background Large-scale afforestation can significantly change the ground cover and soil physicochemical properties, especially the soil fertility maintenance and water conservation functions of artificial forests, which are very important in semi-arid mountain ecosystems. However, how different tree species affect soil nutrients and soil physicochemical properties after afforestation, and which is the best plantation species for improving soil fertility and water conservation functions remain largely unknown. Methods This study investigated the soil nutrient contents of three different plantations (Larix principis-rupprechtii, Picea crassifolia, Pinus tabuliformis), soils and plant-soil feedbacks, as well as the interactions between soil physicochemical properties. Results The results revealed that the leaves and litter layers strongly influenced soil nutrient availability through biogeochemical processes: P. tabuliformis had higher organic carbon, ratio of organic carbon to total nitrogen (C:N) and organic carbon to total phosphorus (C:P) in the leaves and litter layers than L. principis-rupprechtii or P. crassifolia, suggesting that higher C:N and C:P hindered litter decomposition. As a result, the L. principis-rupprechtii and P. crassifolia plantation forests significantly improved soil nutrients and clay components, compared with the P. tabuliformis plantation forest. Furthermore, the L. principis-rupprechtii and P. crassifolia plantation forests significantly improved the soil capacity, soil total porosity, and capillary porosity, decreased soil bulk density, and enhanced water storage capacity, compared with the P. tabuliformis plantation forest. The results of this study showed that, the strong link between plants and soil was tightly coupled to C:N and C:P, and there was a close correlation between soil particle size distribution and soil physicochemical properties. Conclusions Therefore, our results recommend planting the L. principis-rupprechtii and P. crassifolia as the preferred tree species to enhance the soil fertility and water conservation functions, especially in semi-arid regions mountain forest ecosystems.

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