Dataset Information

Inorganic and organic nitrogen acquisition by a fern Dicranopteris dichotoma in a subtropical forest in South China.

ABSTRACT: The fern Dicranopteris dichotoma is an important pioneer species of the understory in Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) forests growing on acidic soils in the subtropical and tropical China. To improve our understanding of the role of D. dichotoma in nitrogen (N) uptake of these forests, a short-term (15)N experiment was conducted at mountain ridge (MR, with low N level) and mountain foot (MF, with high N level). We injected (15)N tracers as (15)NH4, (15)NO3 or (15)N-glycine into the soil surrounding each plant at both MR and MF sites. Three hours after tracer injection, the fern D. dichotoma took up 15NH4+ significantly faster at MF than at MR, but it showed significantly slower uptake of (15)NO3- at MF than at MR. Consequently, (15)NO3- made greater contribution to the total N uptake (50% to the total N uptake) at MR than at MF, but (15)N-glycine only contributed around 11% at both sites. Twenty-four hours after tracer injection, D. dichotoma preferred (15)NH4+ (63%) at MR, whereas it preferred (15)NO3- (47%) at MF. We concluded that the D. dichotoma responds distinctly in its uptake pattern for three available N species over temporal and spatial scales, but mainly relies on inorganic N species in the subtropical forest. This suggests that the fern employs different strategies to acquire available N which depends on N levels and time.

SUBMITTER: Xu X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4020760 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Inorganic and organic nitrogen acquisition by a fern Dicranopteris dichotoma in a subtropical forest in South China.

Xu Xingliang X Li Qingkang Q Wang Jingyuan J Zhang Leiming L Tian Shengni S Zhi Lin L Li Qianru Q Sun Yue Y

PloS one 20140514 5

The fern Dicranopteris dichotoma is an important pioneer species of the understory in Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) forests growing on acidic soils in the subtropical and tropical China. To improve our understanding of the role of D. dichotoma in nitrogen (N) uptake of these forests, a short-term (15)N experiment was conducted at mountain ridge (MR, with low N level) and mountain foot (MF, with high N level). We injected (15)N tracers as (15)NH4, (15)NO3 or (15)N-glycine into the soil surroundi ...[more]

PMID: 24829044

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Project description:Although trait analyses have become more important in community ecology, trait-environment correlations have rarely been studied along successional gradients. We asked which environmental variables had the strongest impact on intraspecific and interspecific trait variation in the community and which traits were most responsive to the environment. We established a series of plots in a secondary forest in the Chinese subtropics, stratified by successional stages that were defined by the time elapsed since the last logging activities. On a total of 27 plots all woody plants were recorded and a set of individuals of every species was analysed for leaf traits, resulting in a trait matrix of 26 leaf traits for 122 species. A Fourth Corner Analysis revealed that the mean values of many leaf traits were tightly related to the successional gradient. Most shifts in traits followed the leaf economics spectrum with decreasing specific leaf area and leaf nutrient contents with successional time. Beside succession, few additional environmental variables resulted in significant trait relationships, such as soil moisture and soil C and N content as well as topographical variables. Not all traits were related to the leaf economics spectrum, and thus, to the successional gradient, such as stomata size and density. By comparing different permutation models in the Fourth Corner Analysis, we found that the trait-environment link was based more on the association of species with the environment than of the communities with species traits. The strong species-environment association was brought about by a clear gradient in species composition along the succession series, while communities were not well differentiated in mean trait composition. In contrast, intraspecific trait variation did not show close environmental relationships. The study confirmed the role of environmental trait filtering in subtropical forests, with traits associated with the leaf economics spectrum being the most responsive ones.

Dataset Information

Inorganic and organic nitrogen acquisition by a fern Dicranopteris dichotoma in a subtropical forest in South China.

Publications

Inorganic and organic nitrogen acquisition by a fern Dicranopteris dichotoma in a subtropical forest in South China.

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