Arid Zone Research ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (8): 1354-1363.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2024.08.09

• Land and Water Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Stoichiometry of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the litter and soil of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in the Hulunbuir Sandy Land

DONG Peng1(), REN Yue1, GAO Guanglei1,2,3,4,5(), DING Guodong1,3,4,5, ZHANG Ying1,3,4,5   

  1. 1. School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    2. National Key Laboratory for Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing 100083, China
    3. Yanchi Ecology Research Station of the Mu Us Desert, Yanchi 751500, Ningxia, China
    4. Engineering Research Center of Forestry Ecological Engineering, Beijing 100083, China
    5. Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2024-01-10 Revised:2024-05-27 Online:2024-08-15 Published:2024-08-22
  • Contact: GAO Guanglei E-mail:DDB820650@bjfu.edu.cn;gaoguanglei@bjfu.edu.cn

Abstract:

To reveal the characteristics of litter and soil C, N, and P stoichiometry and their main driving factors in the Hulunbuir Sandy Land. Different ages of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantation forests and natural forests (medium-mature, near-mature, and mature forests) were used as research subjects to analyze the characteristics of litter and soil C, N, and P stoichiometry and their correlation with soil factors was explored. (1) The degree of decomposition significantly affected litter C, N, P, and the C:N ratio (P<0.05) and the soil layer significantly affected soil N and C:N and C:P ratios (P<0.05); however, the stand age of the forest and its interactions with the degree of decomposition and soil layer did not have a significant effect on litter and soil C, N, and P stoichiometric characteristics (P>0.05). There were significant differences (P<0.05) between natural and plantation forests in litter and soil relating to C and N contents and C:P and N:P ratios. (2) Litter C content was significantly and positively correlated with litter N and P content (P<0.05), and the litter C:P ratio was significantly and positively correlated with the C:N ratio (P<0.05); the soil C:P ratio was significantly and positively correlated with the soil N:P and C:N ratios (P<0.05). (3) The C, N, and P stoichiometric characteristics of litter were mainly significantly affected by pH, phosphatase, and urease (P<0.05), and the soil C, N and P stoichiometric characteristics were mainly significantly affected by pH, phosphatase, and convertase (P<0.05). The growth of P. sylvestris var. mongolica forest in the Hulunbuir Sandy Land may be limited by nitrogen, whereas the decomposition of litter may be limited by phosphorus; the main drivers of litter and soil C, N, and P stoichiometric characteristics were pH and phosphatase, respectively. This improved information is of great significance for guiding the management of P. sylvestris var. mongolica forests.

Key words: Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, ecological stoichiometry, litter, soil, stand age, Hulunbuir Sandy Land