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Mangrove species maintains constant nutrient resorption efficiency under eutrophic conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2019

Lili Wei*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Science, Xiamen 361021, China
Shuh-Ji Kao
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Chaoxiang Liu*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Science, Xiamen 361021, China
*
Authors for correspondence:*Lili Wei, Email: [email protected]; Chaoxiang Liu, Email: [email protected]
Authors for correspondence:*Lili Wei, Email: [email protected]; Chaoxiang Liu, Email: [email protected]

Abstract

Mangrove species have developed nutrient conservation mechanisms to adapt to oligotrophic intertidal environments. However, nutrient enrichment occurs worldwide, particularly in estuarine and coastal regions. Mangrove species may change their adaptive strategies if nutrient availability increases substantially. To understand how nutrient resorption (a major nutrient conservation strategy) responds to nutrient enrichment, a common mangrove species in China, Aegiceras corniculatum (black mangrove), was selected, and saplings were cultivated in nutrient-enriched soils. After one year, neither N nor P resorption efficiency showed significant variations with nutrient availability and there was no difference between N and P resorption efficiency. Overall, nutrient resorption efficiency of A. corniculatum remained at ∼40%, lower than the global average levels of evergreen plants (∼50%), indicating incomplete resorption of nutrients. Incomplete resorption was also evidenced by the nutrient concentrations, resorption proficiency and N: P ratio of plant leaves. Collectively, these results indicate that black mangrove can maintain constant nutrient resorption efficiency under eutrophic conditions.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019 

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