Applying foliar stoichiometric traits of plants to determine fertilization for a mixed pine-oak stand in the Qinling Mountains, China

作者：Lin Hou, Zhenjie Dong, Yuanyuan Yang, Donghong Zhang, Shengli Zhang, Shuoxin Zhang · 发表于：PeerJ · 年份：2018 · DOI：10.7717/peerj.4628 · 被引用次数：16 · 研究领域：Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics、Seedling growth and survival studies、Forest ecology and management

Background The Chinese Natural Forest Protection program has been conducted nationwide and has achieved resounding success. However, timber importation has increased; therefore, producing more domestic timber is critical to meet the demand for raw materials. Fertilization is one of the most effective silviculture practices used to improve tree and stand growth. However, determining the appropriate type and amount of elements is necessary for effective fertilization of big timber in different forest types and environmental conditions. Stoichiometric theory provides the criteria to assess nutrient limitation in plants and offers important insight into fertilizer requirements of forested ecosystems. Methods Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in plants’ leaves, mineral soil, and litter were investigated in a mixed pine-oak stand. Results The big timber rate for Pinus tabuliformis , Pinus armandii and Quercus aliena var. acutesserata is 57.71%, 22.79% and 2.78% of current existing individuals respectively. Foliar N and P concentrations were 9.08 and 0.88 mg g −1 , respectively. The N:P in the plants was 10.30. N concentration and N:P in mineral soil decreased from 0–30 cm soil depth. For litter, N and P concentrations were 16.89 and 1.51 mg g −1 , respectively, and N:P was 11.51. Concentrations of N and P in mineral soil and litter did not significantly affect plants’leaf concentrations. Similar result was also obtained between litter and mineral soil concentrations. N...