A simple method for in situ-labelling with ¹⁵N and ¹³C of grassland plant species by foliar brushing.

ABSTRACT: 1.Labelling plants with ¹⁵N and ¹³C stable isotopes usually require cultivation of plants in isotopically enriched soil and gas-tight labelling chambers - both approaches are not suitable if one aims to investigate in situ species interactions in real plant communities. 2.In this greenhouse experiment, we tested a labelling method in which dual-labelled (¹⁵N, ¹³C) urea solution is brushed directly onto leaves of twelve temperate grassland species representing grasses, non-leguminous forbs and legumes. 3.Across all plant species, shoots (¹⁵N: 0·145; ¹³C: 0·090 atom percent excess, APE) and roots (¹⁵N: 0·051; ¹³C: 0·023 APE) were significantly enriched after five daily labellin

SUBMITTER: Putz B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3573864 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature