Plant sizes mediate mowing-induced changes in nutrient stoichiometry and allocation of a perennial grass in semi-arid grassland.

ABSTRACT: While mowing-induced changes in plant traits and their effects on ecosystem functioning in semi-arid grassland are well studied, the relations between plant size and nutrient strategies are largely unknown. Mowing may drive the shifts of plant nutrient limitation and allocation. Here, we evaluated the changes in nutrient stoichiometry and allocation with variations in sizes of Leymus chinensis, the dominant plant species in Inner Mongolia grassland, to various mowing frequencies in a 17-yr controlled experiment. Affected by mowing, the concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and carbon (C) in leaves and stems were significantly increased, negatively correlating with plant sizes. Moreover, we found significant trade-offs between the concentrations and accumulation of N, P, and C in

SUBMITTER: Liu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5869294 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature