Abstract
Plant stoichiometry in relation to the structure and function of biological systems has been investigated at multiple scales. However, few studies have focused on the roles of stoichiometry for a given species. In this study, we determined leaf N and P stoichiometry, leaf shape and plant size in three Quercus acutissima common gardens with different climatic and site conditions. In the three common gardens, leaf N and P stoichiometry was significantly correlated with leaf shape and plant size, suggesting that leaf N and P stoichiometry affects the morphological performance of the leaves and stem. The scaling slopes of the relationships between leaf N and P stoichiometry and leaf shape ranged from |0.12| to |1.00|, while the slopes of the relationships between leaf N and P stoichiometry and plant size ranged from |0.95| to |2.66|. These results suggest that non-functional tissues (stem) are more susceptible to leaf nutrition than functional tissues (leaves), and leaf stoichiometry is more important in the construction of non-functional tissues (stem). Between the northernmost and southernmost common gardens, leaf N and leaf width (W), N:P and stem height (H), and N:P and stem diameter (D) showed significant covariations, which indicates that leaf N and W, N:P and plant size exhibit similar plastic responses to environmental change.
Highlights
L:W vein angle (VA) vein quantity (VQ) H L W L:W vein density (VD) VA VQ H D n r SMA Slope lowCI
We tested two hypotheses: (1) leaf N and P stoichiometry is tightly related to leaf shape and plant size; and (2) leaf stoichiometry co-varies with leaf shape and plant size across two common gardens in different climate conditions
Stoichiometry is significantly correlated with leaf shape and plant size. These relationships suggest that leaf N and P stoichiometry, as the endogenous nutrition, has shaped the morphological performances of leaves and stem, supporting the previous report that N and P frequently limit plant growth[39]
Summary
L:W VA VQ H L W L:W VD VA VQ H D n r SMA Slope lowCI. photosynthetic rate, specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf longevity[30], while few studies have focused on relationships between stoichiometry and individual traits, between leaf stoichiometry and morphological traits. It is imperative to explore the relationships between leaf stoichiometry and leaf shape and plant size. Plantations established for provenance testing, where multiple seed sources of a given species were planted in common gardens at the same time, provide a good opportunity for studying the stoichiometry under the same (with one common garden) or different (across several common gardens) environments[35,36,37]. We selected three Quercus acutissima provenance test plantations established in three common gardens in 2008, with a total of 36 Q. acutissima provenances collected across the native range of this species in 13 provinces of China[38]. We determined the leaf N and P stoichiometry, leaf shape, and plant size for each Q. acutissima provenance. We tested two hypotheses: (1) leaf N and P stoichiometry is tightly related to leaf shape and plant size; and (2) leaf stoichiometry co-varies with leaf shape and plant size across two common gardens in different climate conditions
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