Phosphorus Limitation Governs N:P Stoichiometry in Semi‐Arid Shrublands: Evidence From Organ, Plant and Community Scales
Yang Li, Jiangchao Guo, Yongfu Chai, Mao Wang, Pengcheng Wan, Ming Yue · 2026
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Description
Yang Li and co-authors measured nitrogen and phosphorus balance in dry shrublands of northwestern China in a 2026 paper. How plant communities adapt to scarce nutrients shapes whether they can withstand a drying climate. The team studied twenty eight shrub ecosystems at organ, plant, and whole community scales, covering shrubs, herbs, litter, and soil.
Phosphorus, not nitrogen, limited these systems at every scale. Leaf nutrient ratios hinged more on phosphorus supply, and soil phosphorus tracked the ratios at all scales. Light catching tissues held far more nutrients than other organs, and dominant shrubs held more leaf phosphorus than their neighbors. Rainfall shaped the whole pattern two ways: directly through soil, and indirectly by reshaping the plant community. The authors cast phosphorus supply as the near term limit that restoration must plan around.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Yang Li, Jiangchao Guo, Yongfu Chai, Mao Wang, Pengcheng Wan, Ming Yue |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 43 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |