Foliar resorption in Quercus petraea subsp iberica and Arbutus andrachne along an elevational gradient

Abstract

The resorption of nutrients (mainly N and P) from senescing leaves may be a key component of adaptive mechanisms that conserve scarce nutrients. Resorption may be expressed in two ways as resorption efficiency (RE) which is the ratio of the resorbed amounts of nutrient losses during leaf senescence in relation to its prior amount deposited in leaves and resorption proficiency (RP) is the level to which nutrient concentration per unit leaf mass is reduced in senescent leaves. There is still much debate whether or not different life-forms (i.e. deciduous and evergreen species) show different foliar resorption patterns. Two sympatric species, namely Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl. subsp. iberica (Steven ex Bieb.) Krassiln. (deciduous) and Arbutus andrachne L. (evergreen) along an elevational gradient were compared with each other to determine whether or not nitrogen and phosphorus resorption efficiency and proficiency varies along the elevational gradient and which leaf parameters were as related to RE and RP. NRE was found to be rather low in Q. petraea subsp. iberica compared to other deciduous species. Similarly, PRE in A. andrachne was rather low compared to other evergreen species. Mean residence time (MRT) measures how long a unit of nitrogen (MRTN) and phosphorus (MRTP) is present in the plant. MRTN and MRTP were found to be considerably higher in A. andrachne compared to Q. petraea subsp. iberica. In both species, the foliar N/P ratio was below 14 along the elevational gradient and, according to this threshold value, N-limitation occurred in the study area. Although both species in the present study show incomplete resorption deciduous species was more proficient as compared to evergreen one due to low N and P concentrations in senescent leaves. Based on the significant correlations (p < 0.05 and 0.01) between MRT and foliar resorption, it can be concluded that MRT could interfere with the mechanisms controlling nutrient resorption.