Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW China
The environmental heterogeneity caused by altitude can lead to trade-offs in nutrient utilization and allocation strategies among plant organs; however, there is still a lack of research on the nutrient variation in the “flower–leaf–branch–fine root–soil” systems of native shrubs along altitude grad...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Yage Li Chunyan Zhao Jiajun Wu Suyan Ba Shuo Liu Panfeng Dai |
| author_facet | Yage Li Chunyan Zhao Jiajun Wu Suyan Ba Shuo Liu Panfeng Dai |
| author_sort | Yage Li |
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| description | The environmental heterogeneity caused by altitude can lead to trade-offs in nutrient utilization and allocation strategies among plant organs; however, there is still a lack of research on the nutrient variation in the “flower–leaf–branch–fine root–soil” systems of native shrubs along altitude gradients in China’s unique karst regions. Therefore, we analyzed the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents and their ratios in flowers, leaves, branches, fine roots, and surface soil of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> shrubs across 2200–2700 m altitudinal range in southwestern China’s karst areas, where this species is widely distributed and grows well. The results show that <i>H. kouytchense</i> organs had higher N content than both global and Chinese plant averages. The order of C:N:P value across plant organs was branches > fine roots > flowers > leaves. Altitude significantly affected the nutrient dynamics in plant organs and soil. With increasing altitude, P content in plant organs exhibited a significant concave pattern, leading to unimodal trends in the C:P of plant organs, as well as the N:P of leaves and fine roots. Meanwhile, plant organs except branches displayed significant homeostasis coefficients in C:P and fine root P, indicating a shift in <i>H. kouytchense</i>’s P utilization strategy from acquisitive-type to conservative-type. Strong positive relationships between plant organs and soil P and available P revealed that P was the key driver of nutrient cycling in <i>H. kouytchense</i> shrubs, enhancing plant organ–soil coupling relationships. In conclusion, <i>H. kouytchense</i> demonstrates flexible adaptability, suggesting that future vegetation restoration and conservation management projects in karst ecosystems should consider the nutrient adaptation strategies of different species, paying particular attention to P utilization. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-aa58c8b0d6fe4cd08fb33fd12cdecd2e2025-08-20T03:36:32ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011415230710.3390/plants14152307Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW ChinaYage Li0Chunyan Zhao1Jiajun Wu2Suyan Ba3Shuo Liu4Panfeng Dai5College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, ChinaThe environmental heterogeneity caused by altitude can lead to trade-offs in nutrient utilization and allocation strategies among plant organs; however, there is still a lack of research on the nutrient variation in the “flower–leaf–branch–fine root–soil” systems of native shrubs along altitude gradients in China’s unique karst regions. Therefore, we analyzed the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents and their ratios in flowers, leaves, branches, fine roots, and surface soil of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> shrubs across 2200–2700 m altitudinal range in southwestern China’s karst areas, where this species is widely distributed and grows well. The results show that <i>H. kouytchense</i> organs had higher N content than both global and Chinese plant averages. The order of C:N:P value across plant organs was branches > fine roots > flowers > leaves. Altitude significantly affected the nutrient dynamics in plant organs and soil. With increasing altitude, P content in plant organs exhibited a significant concave pattern, leading to unimodal trends in the C:P of plant organs, as well as the N:P of leaves and fine roots. Meanwhile, plant organs except branches displayed significant homeostasis coefficients in C:P and fine root P, indicating a shift in <i>H. kouytchense</i>’s P utilization strategy from acquisitive-type to conservative-type. Strong positive relationships between plant organs and soil P and available P revealed that P was the key driver of nutrient cycling in <i>H. kouytchense</i> shrubs, enhancing plant organ–soil coupling relationships. In conclusion, <i>H. kouytchense</i> demonstrates flexible adaptability, suggesting that future vegetation restoration and conservation management projects in karst ecosystems should consider the nutrient adaptation strategies of different species, paying particular attention to P utilization.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2307semi-evergreen shrubecological stoichiometric characteristicsaltitudinal variationplant organsnutrient use strategy |
| spellingShingle | Yage Li Chunyan Zhao Jiajun Wu Suyan Ba Shuo Liu Panfeng Dai Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW China Plants semi-evergreen shrub ecological stoichiometric characteristics altitudinal variation plant organs nutrient use strategy |
| title | Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW China |
| title_full | Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW China |
| title_fullStr | Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW China |
| title_short | Change in C, N, and P Characteristics of <i>Hypericum kouytchense</i> Organs in Response to Altitude Gradients in Karst Regions of SW China |
| title_sort | change in c n and p characteristics of i hypericum kouytchense i organs in response to altitude gradients in karst regions of sw china |
| topic | semi-evergreen shrub ecological stoichiometric characteristics altitudinal variation plant organs nutrient use strategy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2307 |
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