Responses of C:N:P stoichiometry of plants from a Hulunbuir grassland to salt stress, drought and nitrogen addition

BUSSO CARLOS ALBERTO; YANG YG; WANG ZW; FANG YF; ZHOU C.; ZHANG Z ; HAN XG

PHYTON - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY BA ARGENTINA

FUNDACION ROMULO RAGGIO

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2018 vol. 87 p. 123 - 132

0031-9457

Chemical elements, such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N)and phosphorus (P), are major limiting nutrients in arid and semiaridgrasslands and their stoichiometry (C:N:P) is a very importantratio to determine. In addition, it is critical to understand how plantstoichiometry responds to multiple environmental factors at the specieslevel. In this study, we conducted a greenhouse experiment toinvestigate the effects of salt stress (4 g NaCl/kg soil), drought (35%of the soil water holding capacity) and N addition (10 g N/m2), aswell as their interactions, on C, N and P concentrations and C:N:Pratios in two dominant species (Allium polyrhizum and Stipa krylovii)from the Hulunbuir grassland of Inner Mongolia. Allium polyrhizumhad higher N and P concentrations, and lower C:N and C:P ratiosthan Stipa krylovii. Salt stress significantly decreased plant C concentration,while drought had no significant effects on all the studyvariables of the two plant species. Nitrogen addition significantly increasedplant N concentrations, and decreased C:N and C:P ratios.There were significant interactions between salt stress and speciesidentity in affecting plant C and N concentrations as well as C:Nand N:P ratios. This study could further enrich the knowledge ofplant stoichiometry in response to multiple environmental stresses.