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Mechanisms Regulating C, N, and P Storage, Cycle, and Stoichiometry...
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Mechanisms Regulating C, N, and P Storage, Cycle, and Stoichiometry in Plant Ecosystems Under Climate Change

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 5785

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xiaoyong Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Arts and Sciences, Governors State University, University Park, IL 690484, USA
Interests: biomass and primary productivity; CO2 eflux; carbon storage and sequestration; nutrient cycle; forest hydrology; ecosystem services
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Dafeng Hui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
Interests: plant ecology and ecophysiology; global change ecology; ecosystem ecology; biogeochemical cycle; agro-ecology; ecological modeling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) are the most basic and essential elements of life on Earth. The quantity, status, distribution, and dynamics of these elements play a fundamental and critical role in maintaining life processes, stabilizing component structures, maintaining primary productivity, and regulating ecosystem services in plant ecosystems. Due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, large-scale deforestation, urbanization, mining, commercial use of fertilizers, and changes in land cover/use, climate change is occurring rapidly. The consequences of climate change are not only global warming, but also include permafrost melting, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, more frequent floods and droughts, and their impact on human health and well-being. Although climate change has profound impacts on the Earth, the impact of climate change on C, N, and P contents, distributions, and cycling processes in plant ecosystems is still unclear. Under the climate change scenario, little is known about the feedback mechanism regulating the stoichiometry and dynamic characteristics of C, N, and P in plant ecosystems.

This Special Issue aims to compile cutting-edge research and deepen our understanding of the impact of climate change on C, N, and P contents, distribution patterns, cycling processes, and stoichiometry in different plant/forest ecosystems. We encourage the submission of all research papers based on literature reviews, field observations, laboratory experiments, statistical analyses, machine learning, and numerical modeling. Potential themes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Distribution and stocks of C, N, and P pools in forest ecosystems;
  • Dynamic processes and patterns of greenhouse gas efflux;
  • Impact of microbial community on C, Ns and P dynamics;
  • Linkages among C, N, and P stoichiometry in various components of plant ecosystems;
  • Carbon sequestration potential of plants/forests;
  • Patterns of phosphate fractions in soil aggregates;
  • Transformation of different forms of N in plant/forest soils;
  • Relationships between C, N, and P status and soil environmental factors.

Prof. Dr. Xiaoyong Chen
Prof. Dr. Dafeng Hui
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • climate change
  • nitrogen
  • carbon
  • phosphorus
  • nutrient storage
  • ecological stoichiometry
  • greenhouse gas efflux
  • ecosystem services
  • forest management

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 916 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Water and Nitrogen Addition on the Allocation Pattern and Stoichiometric Characteristics of C, N, and P in Peanut Seedlings
by Qing Guo, Feifei Qin, Yang Xu, Hao Feng, Guanchu Zhang, Zhimeng Zhang, Yucheng Chi and Hong Ding
Plants 2025, 14(3), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14030353 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 654
Abstract
Water and fertilizer application strategies seriously affect the healthy growth of peanuts. The stoichiometric ratio can directly reflect the elemental requirements for crop growth, which are very important for improving fertilizer utilization efficiency. In order to investigate the response of C (carbon), N [...] Read more.
Water and fertilizer application strategies seriously affect the healthy growth of peanuts. The stoichiometric ratio can directly reflect the elemental requirements for crop growth, which are very important for improving fertilizer utilization efficiency. In order to investigate the response of C (carbon), N (nitrogen), and P (phosphorus) allocation pattern and stoichiometric characteristics in peanut seedlings to water and nitrogen addition, we designed a greenhouse pot experiment which had different water treatments (W1, 75–80% field capacity; W2, 45–50% field capacity) and nitrogen addition treatments (N0, 0 kg hm−2; N1, 90 kg hm−2; N2, 180 kg hm−2). The distribution and content changes in C, N, and P in different organs were measured and analyzed by ecological stoichiometry. The results showed that drought stress significantly increased the N or P content of different organs. The average N/P value of peanut roots treated with W2 decreased by 13.02% compared to W1. Restoring irrigation relieved this stress while reducing the C/N and C/P of roots, stems, and leaves, as well as the N/P of roots and stems. The water treatment after rehydration showed significant differences in the C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios of peanut roots. The average values of the C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios of peanut roots in W2 treatment were reduced by 13.54%, 28.66%, and 16.34%, respectively, compared to W1 treatment. On the other hand, nitrogen application significantly increased the N content of stems and leaves, while reducing C/N. On the contrary, it significantly reduced the P content of roots and stems, and increased the N/P ratio of roots, stems, and leaves. Overall, there is a significant interaction between water and nitrogen treatment on the stoichiometric characteristics of C, N, and P in different organs, with water treatment playing a dominant role. In terms of nutrient distribution in organs, the average N content in leaves is the highest. The coefficient of variation (CV) of P content is greater than that of C and N content. The CV of N content, P content, and C/N and N/P ratios of the stem are all greater than those of the roots or leaves, while the stems are more sensitive to water and nitrogen conditions. And the N and P content of roots, stems, and leaves were positively correlated. Meanwhile, peanut seedlings have the phenomenon of ionic synergism that occurs between nitrogen and phosphorus ions. In summary, studying the stoichiometric ratios can reflect the water and fertilizer demand status of peanuts, thereby better improving water and fertilizer utilization efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms Regulating C, N, and P Storage, Cycle, and Stoichiometry in Plant Ecosystems Under Climate Change)
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16 pages, 15431 KiB  
Article
Warming Diminishes the Day–Night Discrepancy in the Apparent Temperature Sensitivity of Ecosystem Respiration
by Nan Li, Guiyao Zhou, Mayank Krishna, Kaiyan Zhai, Junjiong Shao, Ruiqiang Liu and Xuhui Zhou
Plants 2024, 13(23), 3321; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233321 - 26 Nov 2024
Viewed by 964
Abstract
Understanding the sensitivity of ecosystem respiration (ER) to increasing temperature is crucial to predict how the terrestrial carbon sink responds to a warming climate. The temperature sensitivity of ER may vary on a diurnal basis but is poorly understood due to the paucity [...] Read more.
Understanding the sensitivity of ecosystem respiration (ER) to increasing temperature is crucial to predict how the terrestrial carbon sink responds to a warming climate. The temperature sensitivity of ER may vary on a diurnal basis but is poorly understood due to the paucity of observational sites documenting real ER during daytime at a global scale. Here, we used an improved flux partitioning approach to estimate the apparent temperature sensitivity of ER during the daytime (E0,day) and nighttime (E0,night) derived from multiyear observations of 189 FLUXNET sites. Our results demonstrated that E0,night is significantly higher than E0,day across all biomes, with significant seasonal variations in the day–night discrepancy in the temperature sensitivity of ER (ΔE0 = E0,night/E0,day) except for evergreen broadleaf forest and savannas. Such seasonal variations in ΔE0 mainly result from the effect of temperature and the seasonal amplitude of NDVI. We predict that future warming will decrease ΔE0 due to the reduced E0,night by the end of the century in most regions. Moreover, we further find that disregarding the ΔE0 leads to an overestimation of annual ER by 10~80% globally. Thus, our study highlights that the divergent temperature dependencies between day- and nighttime ER should be incorporated into Earth system models to improve predictions of carbon–climate change feedback under future warming scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms Regulating C, N, and P Storage, Cycle, and Stoichiometry in Plant Ecosystems Under Climate Change)
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19 pages, 4172 KiB  
Article
Drought-Induced Alterations in Carbon and Water Dynamics of Chinese Fir Plantations at the Trunk Wood Stage
by Yijun Liu, Li Zhang, Wende Yan, Yuanying Peng, Hua Sun and Xiaoyong Chen
Plants 2024, 13(20), 2937; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202937 - 20 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1120
Abstract
Over the past three decades, China has implemented extensive reforestation programs, primarily utilizing Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) in southern China, to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and counter extreme climate events. However, the effects of drought on the carbon sequestration capacity [...] Read more.
Over the past three decades, China has implemented extensive reforestation programs, primarily utilizing Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) in southern China, to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and counter extreme climate events. However, the effects of drought on the carbon sequestration capacity of these forests, particularly during the trunk wood stage, remain unclear. This study, conducted in Huitong, Hunan, China, from 2008 to 2013, employed the eddy covariance method to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) and water fluxes in Chinese fir forests, covering a severe drought year in 2011. The purpose was to elucidate the dynamics of carbon and water fluxes during a drought year and across multi-normal year averages. The results showed that changes in soil water content (−8.00%), precipitation (−18.45%), and relative humidity (−5.10%), decreases in air temperature (−0.09 °C) and soil temperature (−0.79 °C), and increases in vapor pressure deficit (19.18%) and net radiation (8.39%) were found in the drought year compared to the normal years. These changes in environmental factors led to considerable decreases in net ecosystem exchange (−40.00%), ecosystem respiration (−13.09%), and gross ecosystem productivity (−18.52%), evapotranspiration (−12.50%), and water use efficiency (−5.83%) in the studied forests in the drought year. In this study, the occurrence of seasonal drought due to uneven precipitation distribution led to a decrease in gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and evapotranspiration (ET). However, the impact of drought on GEP was greater than its effect on ET, resulting in a reduced water use efficiency (WUE). This study emphasized the crucial role of water availability in determining forest productivity and suggested the need for adjusting vegetation management strategies under severe drought conditions. Our results contributed to improving management practices for Chinese fir plantations in response to changing climate conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms Regulating C, N, and P Storage, Cycle, and Stoichiometry in Plant Ecosystems Under Climate Change)
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Other

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16 pages, 4638 KiB  
Essay
Effects of Fertilization and Planting Modes on Soil Organic Carbon and Microbial Community Formation of Tree Seedlings
by Sutong Fan, Yao Tang, Hongzhi Yang, Yuda Hu, Yelin Zeng, Yonghong Wang, Yunlin Zhao, Xiaoyong Chen, Yaohui Wu and Guangjun Wang
Plants 2024, 13(18), 2665; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13182665 - 23 Sep 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1971
Abstract
Biochar and organic fertilizer can significantly increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and promote agricultural production, but it is still unclear how they affect forest SOC after. Here, low-quality plantation soil was subjected to four distinct fertilization treatments: (CK, without fertilization; BC, tea seed [...] Read more.
Biochar and organic fertilizer can significantly increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and promote agricultural production, but it is still unclear how they affect forest SOC after. Here, low-quality plantation soil was subjected to four distinct fertilization treatments: (CK, without fertilization; BC, tea seed shell biochar alone; OF, tea meal organic fertilizer alone; BCF, tea seed shell biochar plus tea meal organic fertilizer). Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook and Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Thunb.) Oersted seedlings were then planted in pots at the ratios of 2:0, 1:1, and 0:2 (SS, SQ, QQ) and grown for one year. The results showed that the BCF treatment had the best effect on promoting seedling growth and increasing SOC content. BCF changed soil pH and available nutrient content, resulting in the downregulation of certain oligotrophic groups (Acidobacteria and Basidiomycetes) and the upregulation of eutrophic groups (Ascomycota and Proteobacteria). Key bacterial groups, which were identified by Line Discriminant Analysis Effect Size analysis, were closely associated with microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and SOC. Pearson correlation analysis showed that bacterial community composition exhibited a positive correlation with SOC, MBC, available phosphorus, seedling biomass, and plant height, whereas fungal community composition was predominantly positively correlated with seedling underground biomass. It suggested that environmental differences arising from fertilization and planting patterns selectively promote microbial communities that contribute to organic carbon formation. In summary, the combination of biochar and organic fertilizers would enhance the improvement and adaptation of soil microbial communities, playing a crucial role in increasing forest soil organic carbon and promoting tree growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms Regulating C, N, and P Storage, Cycle, and Stoichiometry in Plant Ecosystems Under Climate Change)
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