Coordinated pattern of multi‐element variability in leaves and roots across Chinese forest biomes

• Published in: Global ecology and biogeography Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 359 - 367
• Main Authors: Zhao, Ning, Yu, Guirui, He, Nianpeng, Wang, Qiufeng, Guo, Dali, Zhang, Xinyu, Wang, Ruili, Xu, Zhiwei, Jiao, Cuicui, Li, Nani, Jia, Yanlong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Science 01.03.2016; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; John Wiley & Sons Ltd; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: aluminum; biogeochemical cycles; cobalt; Conservatism; copper; ecosystems; element variability; elemental composition; environmental law; environmental regulation; Environmental regulations; fine root; fine roots; forests; Herbivores; iron; lead; leaves; macronutrient; nickel; plant physiology; plants (botany); sodium; stoichiometry; Taxonomy; zinc; China; China, People's Rep
• ISSN: 1466-822X; 1466-8238
• DOI: 10.1111/geb.12427

AIM: The elemental composition of plants is of fundamental importance for plant physiology and biogeochemical cycling. Knowledge about how the pattern of multi‐element variability is coordinated between above‐ and below‐ground organs remains limited. Here, we quantify multi‐element variability in the leaves and roots of terrestrial plants, in addition to trying to understand its taxonomic and environmental regulation at large scales. LOCATION: China. METHODS: Sixteen elements in the leaves and fine roots of 792 plant species across nine forests located along the north–south transect of eastern China were measured. General linear mixed models were used to partition taxonomic and environmental variation. Canonical discriminant analyses were conducted to identify elements with the highest discriminatory power for different plant orders. RESULTS: Elemental composition differed significantly between the leaves and roots, with the roots containing higher concentrations of trace metal elements (aluminium, iron, sodium, zinc, copper, lead, nickel and cobalt). A coordinated pattern of multi‐element variability and similar taxonomic regulation was observed between the leaves and roots of terrestrial plants. That is, elements with higher internal concentrations were less variable, with most of the variability being attributed to taxonomic effects rather than the environment. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Taxonomic and environmental regulation differed for different elements. Compared with microelements, macroelements exhibited a narrow range of internal concentrations, less environmental control and stronger taxonomic conservatism. The coordinated pattern of multi‐element variability and similar taxonomic effects in the leaves and roots implies that above‐ and below‐ground ecological processes are tightly linked.