To understand leaf litter stoichiometry in a subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest, we measured the contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in leaf litters of 62 main woody species in a natural forest of C. kawakamii Nature Reserve in Sanming, Fujian Province. Differences in leaf litter stoichiometry were analyzed across leaf forms (evergreen, deciduous), life forms (tree, semi-tree or shrub), and main families. Additionally, the phylogenetic signal was measured by Blomberg's K to explore the correlation between family level differentiation time and litter stoichiometry. Our results showed that the contents of C, N and P in the litter of 62 woody species were 405.97-512.16, 4.45-27.11, and 0.21-2.53 g·kg-1, respectively. C/N, C/P and N/P were 18.6-106.2, 195.9-2146.8, and 3.5-68.9, respectively. Leaf litter P content of evergreen tree species was significantly lower than that of deciduous tree species, and C/P and N/P of evergreen tree species were significantly higher than those of deciduous tree species. There was no significant difference in C, N content and C/N between the two leaf forms. There was no significant difference in litter stoichiometry among trees, semi-trees and shrubs. Effects of phylogeny on C, N content and C/N in leaf litter was significant, but not on P content, C/P and N/P. Family differentiation time was negatively correlated with leaf litter N content, and positively correlated with C/N. Leaf litter of Fagaceae had high C and N contents, C/P and N/P, and low P content and C/N, with an opposite trend for Sapidaceae. Our findings indicated that litter in subtropical forest had high C, N content and N/P, but low P content, C/N, and C/P, compared with the global scale average value. Litter of tree species in older sequence of evolutionary development had lower N content but higher C/N. There was no difference of leaf litter stoichiometry among life forms. There were significant differences in P content, C/P, and N/P between different leaf forms, with a characteristic of convergence.
为揭示亚热带常绿阔叶林凋落叶碳(C)、氮(N)和磷(P)化学计量特征,本研究测定了福建省三明格氏栲自然保护区天然林内62种主要木本植物凋落叶C、N和P含量,分析叶习性(常绿、落叶)、生活型(乔木、小乔木或灌木)以及主要科之间凋落叶化学计量的差异,通过Blomberg's K衡量系统发育信号,分析了科水平分化时间与凋落叶化学计量之间的相关性。结果表明: 62种木本植物凋落物C、N、P含量分别为405.97～512.16、4.45～27.11和0.21～2.53 g·kg-1,C/N、C/P和N/P分别为18.6～106.2、195.9～2146.8和3.5～68.9。常绿树种凋落叶P含量显著低于落叶树种,C/P和N/P显著高于落叶树种,二者之间的C、N含量和C/N无显著差异;乔木与小乔木或灌木之间的化学计量均无显著性差异。系统发育对凋落叶C、N含量和C/N有显著影响,对P含量、C/P和N/P无显著影响。科水平分化时间与N含量呈显著负相关,与C/N呈显著正相关。壳斗科凋落叶倾向于高C、N含量、C/P和N/P,低P含量和C/N;无患子科则表现出相反的趋势。与全球尺度相比,亚热带地区凋落物具有高C、N含量和N/P,以及低P含量、C/N和C/P的特征;受系统发育的影响,进化较古老的树种凋落叶具有较低的N含量和较高的C/N;凋落叶之间的化学计量差异不受生活型的影响;不同叶习性树种之间的P含量、C/P和N/P差异显著,但整体表现出一定的趋同效应。.
Keywords: leaf litter; phylogeny; stoichiometry; subtropical forest; woody species.