Volume 21 (2018) Article 9
CNP stoichiometry and productivity limitations in high-altitude wetland ecosystems of the Eastern Pamir
by M. Metrak, P. Chibowski, M. Sulwinski, P. Pawlikowski and M. Suska-Malawska
Published online: 11.05.2018
Summary
We studied two wetland plant community types that occur on flat lake terraces in the Eastern Pamir mountains (Tajikistan, Central Asia). We selected 13 homogeneous patches of salt marsh vegetation dominated by Blysmus rufus (Huds.) Link, and 20 homogeneous patches of saline small sedge meadow. From each patch we took soil and biomass samples which were analysed in the laboratory. We used ?13C and ?15N values for plant biomass to determine the type of nutrient limitation and to characterise dominant species, and we assessed the impact of detrital input on the CNP stoichiometry of biomass. Biomass ?13C was typical for plants growing under low partial pressure of CO2; while ?15N was very high, especially in the leaves of Carex orbicularis Boott. N limitation was indicated for the majority of sampled sites, yet we found no significant correlation between ?13C or ?15N and N/P quotient. There were pronounced differences in ?15N between species, the lowest values being recorded for Carex microglochin Wahlenb. No significant influence of detrital inputs on the chemical composition of plant biomass was detected.
Citation
Metrak, M., Chibowski, P., Sulwinski, M., Pawlikowski, P. & Suska-Malawska, M. (2018): CNP stoichiometry and productivity limitations in high-altitude wetland ecosystems of the Eastern Pamir. Mires and Peat, 21(9), 1-17. (Online: http://www.mires-and-peat.net/pages/volumes/map21/map2109.php);
10.19189/MaP.2017.OMB.297
Reviewers
IMCG and IPS
acknowledge
the work of the reviewers.
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