Abstract
Multiple elements are required to be allocated to different organs to meet the demands for plant growth, reproduction, and maintenance. However, our knowledge remains limited on the stoichiometry in all plant organs in response to heterogeneous environments. Here, we present the systematic investigation of multielemental stoichiometry in organs of the alpine plant Gentiana rigescens across different environmental conditions. The slopes of N–P stoichiometric relationships among organs in G. rigescens did not differ significantly between environments even in flowers, the most active organ with the highest N and P level. C:P ratios had strong positive relationships with N:P ratios within and between organs. Zn had strong positive correlations with Fe, S, or Cu in each organ, indicating the potential interactions among the homeostases of these elements. The contents of macroelements, such as C, N, P, Ca, Mg, and S, were higher in plant organs than those in soil and exhibited a relatively narrow range in plant organs. However, G. rigescens reduced Fe uptake from soil and showed the strictest homeostasis in its root, implying its resistance to excess Fe. Furthermore, precipitation and temperature associated with geography, followed by soil P, were the main divers for the multielemental stoichiometry in this species. Plant stoichiometry responded differently to abiotic environmental factors, depending on organ type and element. N:P ratio, no matter in which organ, showed little flexibility to climate factors. The results have implications for understanding the regulation of multielemental stoichiometry in plant individuals to environmental changes. Further studies are needed on the interactions of multielement homeostasis in plants.
Highlights
Ecological stoichiometry offers a framework to understand the balance of multiple elements in ecological interactions and processes (Elser et al, 2010)
Our knowledge remains limited on multielemental stoichiometry in plant organs to nutrient stress or climate change. To address these gaps in our knowledge, here, we present the systematic investigation of multielemental stoichiometry in organs of an alpine plant across different environmental conditions
mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT) associated with geography were the main drivers for plant stoichiometry
Summary
Ecological stoichiometry offers a framework to understand the balance of multiple elements in ecological interactions and processes (Elser et al, 2010). Under this framework, the degree to which organisms maintain a constant elemental composition in response to the availability of their environmental resources is referred to as “stoichiometric homeostasis”. Potassium (K) is the second most abundant nutrient in plant photosynthetic tissues and is required for many functions, such as the maintenance of electrical potentials across cell membranes (Britto and Kronzucker, 2008; Sardans and Peñuelas, 2015). Calcium (Ca) is another essential nutrient for plants and is required for structural roles in the membranes and cell wall (White and Broadley, 2003). Magnesium (Mg) is vital for the function of many cellular enzymes and for the aggregation of ribosomes, and the maintenance of its homeostasis in the plant n
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