Solar radiation effects on leaf nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry of Chinese fir across subtropical China

Abstract

Abstract Background Solar radiation (SR) plays critical roles in plant physiological processes and ecosystems functions. However, the exploration of SR influences on the biogeochemical cycles of forest ecosystems is still in a slow progress, and has important implications for the understanding of plant adaption strategy under future environmental changes. Herein, this research was aimed to explore the influences of SR on plant nutrient characteristics, and provided theoretical basis for introducing SR into the establishment of biochemical models of forest ecosystems in the future researches. Methods We measured leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry in 19 Chinese fir plantations across subtropical China by a field investigation. The direct and indirect effects of SR, including global radiation (Global R), direct radiation (Direct R) and diffuse radiation (Diffuse R) on the leaf N and P stoichiometry were investigated. Results The linear regression analysis showed that leaf N concentration had no association with SR, while leaf P concentration and N:P ratio were negatively and positively related to SR, respectively. Partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) demonstrated that SR (e.g. Direct R and Diffuse R), as a latent variable, exhibited direct correlations with leaf N and P stoichiometry as well as the indirect correlation mediated by soil P content. The direct associations (path coefficient = − 0.518) were markedly greater than indirect associations (path coefficient = − 0.087). The covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) indicated that SR had direct effects on leaf P concentration (path coefficient = − 0.481), and weak effects on leaf N concentration. The high SR level elevated two temperature indexes (mean annual temperature, MAT; ≥ 10 °C annual accumulated temperature, ≥ 10 °C AAT) and one hydrological index (mean annual evapotranspiration, MAE), but lowered the soil P content. MAT, MAE and soil P content could affect the leaf P concentration, which cause the indirect effect of SR on leaf P concentration (path coefficient = 0.004). Soil N content had positive effect on the leaf N concentration, which was positively and negatively regulated by MAP and ≥ 10 °C AAT, respectively. Conclusions These results confirmed that SR had negatively direct and indirect impacts on plant nutrient status of Chinese fir based on a regional investigation, and the direct associations were greater than the indirect associations. Such findings shed light on the guideline of taking SR into account for the establishment of global biogeochemical models of forest ecosystems in the future studies.