Ecological stoichiometry characteristics of common species in mountain meadows at different stages of degraded succession in the Kanas Scenic Area

doi:10.11686/cyxb2016047

Abstract

Abstract:

The overall aim of this research was to analyze nutrient cycling and the ecosystem stability mechanisms of mountain meadows. We analyzed the stoichiometry characteristics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in three common species (Poa pratensis, Carex pediformis, Achillea millefolium) and soil in mountain meadows at different stages of degradation in the Kanas Scenic Area, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The results showed that: 1) the importance values, coverage, density, and biomass of the three species increased with increasing degrees of degradation of the mountain meadows, but the average plant height and chlorophyll content of leaves decreased. 2) The C, N, and P contents of common species decreased with increasing degradation. The C∶N of P. pratensis increased from community Ⅰ to Ⅱ and then decreased. The C∶N of other common species increased with increasing degradation. The N∶P of three common species ranged from 14 to 16 in communityⅠ. In other communities, the N∶P exceeded 16 in P. pratensis, but was lower than 14 in A. millefolium and C. pediformis. 3) There was a positive relationship between chlorophyll content and leaf N content. There was no correlation between coverage and the stoichiometric ratio of leaves and soil. The significance of correlations between plant height, density, biomass, and stoichiometric ratios depended on the species and habitats. 4) There were positive, significant, linear correlations between C, N, P contents in soil and in leaves. Plant growth in non-degraded meadows was mainly restricted by soil N and P or not restricted, and it was mainly restricted by soil N in degraded meadows. Together, these results show that soil nutrient stoichiometry has important effects on vegetation recovery in mountain meadows.

TANG Gao-Rong, ZHENG Wei, WANG Xiang, ZHU Ya-Qiong, WU Yan-Feng. Ecological stoichiometry characteristics of common species in mountain meadows at different stages of degraded succession in the Kanas Scenic Area[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2016, 25(12): 63-75.

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