Foliar elemental composition of European forest tree species associated with evolutionary traits and present environmental and competitive conditions
Aim Plant elemental composition and stoichiometry is crucial for plant structure and function. We studied to what extent plant stoichiometry might be caused by environmental drivers and competition from coexisting species. Location Europe. Methods We analyzed foliar N, P, K, Ca and Mg concentrations...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2015 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Repositorio: | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ddd.uab.cat:147708 |
| Acesso em linha: | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/147708 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1111/geb.12253 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palavra-chave: | Calcium Ca:Mg Competition Biogeochemical niche Ecological stoichiometry Forests Magnesium Nitrogen N:K N:P Phosphorus P:K Phylogeny Potassium |
| Resumo: | Aim Plant elemental composition and stoichiometry is crucial for plant structure and function. We studied to what extent plant stoichiometry might be caused by environmental drivers and competition from coexisting species. Location Europe. Methods We analyzed foliar N, P, K, Ca and Mg concentrations and their ratios among 50 species of European forest trees sampled in 5284 plots across Europe and their relationships with phylogeny, forest type, current climate and N deposition. Results Phylogeny is strongly related to overall foliar elemental composition in European tree species. Species identity explained the 56.7 percent of the overall foliar elemental composition and stoichiometry. Forest type and current climatic conditions also partially explained the differences in foliar elemental composition among species. In the same genus co-occuring species had overall higher differences in foliar elemental composition and stoichiometry than the non co-occuring species. Main conclusions The different foliar elemental compositions among species are related to phylogenetic distances, but they are also related to current climatic conditions, forest types, global change drivers such as atmospheric N deposition, and to differences among co-occurring species as a probable consequence of niche specialization to reduce direct competition for the same resources. Different species have singular "fixed" foliar elemental compositions but retain some degree of plasticity to the current climatic and competitive conditions. A wider set of elements beyond N and P better represents the biogeochemical niche and is highly sensitive to plant function. Foliar elemental composition can thus be useful for representing important aspects of plant species niches. |
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