Local-scale determinants of elemental stoichiometry of soil in an old-growth temperate forest

Release Time:2016-07-13 Big Small

 

Elemental stoichiometry is an effective indicator to nutrient limitation of soils. It is affected by both biotic and abiotic factors. The existed work concentrated on the effect of one or some factors, but the relative importance of deterministic factors at a local scale has been not clear.

Directed by Prof HAO Zhanqing, doctoral student SUO Yanyan in the research group of Natural Forest Ecology, IAE, took the Broad-leaved Korean Pine Forest on Changbai Mountain as object, collected data  of total C/N/P content from 967 soil samples, data in litter from 150 collectors and C/N/P content of litters from 7 dominant tree species, evaluated litter input, related to tree species composition of the community, relief, soil moisture on a local scale by litter dispersion model and Enhanced Classification and Regression Model. The results show that both biotic and abiotic factors affect the C:N and N:P ratios, but the effect of abiotic is more important. Soil pH is more important in determining Soil elementary stoichiometry on a local scale. This indicates that the underground process is important in driving the heterogeneity of soil elementary stoichiometry.

The results were published in Plant and Soil. The work was supported by NNSFC, International Cooperation Program of CAS and Feature Institute Program CAS.