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Which root traits determine nitrogen uptake by alpine plant species on the Tibetan Plateau?

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Abstract

Background and aims

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important limiting factors influencing plant growth and reproduction in alpine and tundra ecosystems. However, in situ observations of the effects of root traits on N absorption by alpine plant species are still lacking.

Methods

We investigated the rates of N uptake and the effect of root characteristics in ten common herbaceous alpine plant species using a 15N isotope tracer technique and the root systems of plants growing in a semi-arid steppe environment on the Tibetan Plateau. Our objective was to determine the root traits (root biomass, volume, surface area, average diameter, length, specific root length and specific root area) that make the largest contribution to the total uptake of N (15N–NO3 −, 15N–NH4 + or 15N–glycine) by alpine plant species.

Results

Monocotyledonous species had higher absorption rates for 15N–NH4 +, 15N–NO3 −, 15N–glycine and total 15N than dicotyledonous species (P < 0.05). The root biomass, volume, surface area and average diameter were negatively correlated with the absorption capacity for 15N–NH4 +, 15N–NO3 − and total 15N across the ten alpine plant species. However, the specific root length and the specific root area had significantly positive effects on the uptake of N.

Conclusions

In contrast with traditional views on the uptake of N, the N uptake rate was not improved by a larger root volume or root surface area for these alpine plant species in a high-altitude ecosystem. Root morphological traits had greater impacts on N absorption than traits related to the root system size in alpine herbaceous plants.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the State Key Research Development Program of China (2016YFC0502002), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41701343), the 135 Key Cultivation Program of the Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment (2017–2020) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Light of West China program (2017–2019).

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Author notes

  1. Xiaodan Wang

    Present address: Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9, Block 4, Renminnanlu Road, Chengdu, 610041, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9, Block 4, Renminnanlu Road, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Jiangtao Hong & Yan Yan

  2. College of Urban and Environment Sciences, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, 041000, China

    Xingxing Ma

  3. School of public administration, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

    Xiaoke Zhang

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  1. Jiangtao Hong
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Correspondence to Xiaodan Wang.

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Responsible Editor: Catherine Roumet

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Hong, J., Ma, X., Yan, Y. et al. Which root traits determine nitrogen uptake by alpine plant species on the Tibetan Plateau?. Plant Soil 424, 63–72 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3434-3

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