The effect of enhanced nitrogen on aboveground biomass allocation and nutrient resorption in the fern Athyrium distentifolium

0342877 - ÚVGZ 2011 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Holub, Petr - Tůma, Ivan
The effect of enhanced nitrogen on aboveground biomass allocation and nutrient resorption in the fern Athyrium distentifolium.
Plant Ecology. Roč. 207, č. 2 (2010), s. 373-380. ISSN 1385-0237. E-ISSN 1573-5052
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600050616
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520; CEZ:AV0Z60050516
Keywords : Fern ecology * Fertilization * Nutrient resorption * Nitrogen * Phosphorus
Subject RIV: ED - Physiology
Impact factor: 1.880, year: 2010

We measured aboveground biomass allocation and resorption of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in the fronds of a winter-deciduous fern Athyrium distentifolium in ambient and N-enhanced treatments. A.distentifolium formed taller fronds and petioles and allocated more biomass to supporting tissue relative to photosynthetically active leaf tissue in response to N addition. Resorption of P from green fronds was more efficient than N resorption (on average 50% P, 21% N from supporting and 44% P, 24% N from photosynthetic tissues were withdrawn during senescence). The N/P-ratios were higher in photosynthetic tissue in comparison with supporting tissue. In N-enhanced treatment, a positive relationship was found between the amount of supporting tissue relative to photosynthetic tissue and resorption of nutrients from photosynthetic tissue. However, higher N availability resulted in a significant decrease of N resorption efficiency in photosynthetic tissue of A. distentifolium.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0185489