Nitrogen Uptake by Two Plants in Response to Plant Competition as Regulated by Neighbor Density.

ABSTRACT: Plant species may acquire different forms of nitrogen (N) to reduce competition for the same resource, but how plants respond to neighbors with different densities in their N uptake is still poorly understood. We investigated the effects of competition regime on the uptake of different N forms by two hygrophytes, Carex thunbergii and Polygonum criopolitanum, by conducting a hydroponic test of excised roots and an in situ experiment in a subtropical wetland ecosystem. The two species were grown either in monocultures or mixtures with various neighbor densities. Root functional traits and N uptake rates of different N forms were measured. Our results showed that N uptake was mainly determined by N form, rather than species identity. Both species were able to use organic

SUBMITTER: Jia X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7758497 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature