最近，中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园生理生态研究组的张石宝、曹坤芳等研究人员在生物地理学顶尖期刊《全球生态和生物地理学》（Global Ecology and Biogeography）上撰文论述了系统发育和环境如何影响陆生植物的叶片养分含量。这是该研究组在这个杂志上发表的第二篇论文。
陆地生态系统的功能和生物地球化学循环与叶片元素含量紧密相关，因此认识影响叶片元素含量的生物、生态因子对于模拟生态系统的生产力、养分流及其对全球变化的响应具有重要意义。作者收集了中国702种陆生植物的10种叶片元素含量及其环境因子，利用Partial Mantel test排除变量自相关因素来分析环境因子对叶片元素含量影响的偏相关系数，同时利用系统发育比较方法排除系统发育的影响分析叶片元素含量与环境因子的相关关系。结果发现，系统发育解释了叶片S和SiO2元素含量40.2-43.9%的变异。相反，纬度能够解释叶片N、P、K、Fe、Al、Mn、Na和Ca含量19.5-52.1%的变异，其影响大于系统发育。在科水平上，叶片N、P、Al、Fe和Na含量与年降雨量相关，而N、P和Fe含量与年均温相关。主分量分析表明与植物蛋白合成和光合作用相关的元素（N、P、K、S、Fe）均落在主成分第一轴上，该主轴与纬度、年降雨量和年均温紧密相关。因此在全球变化背景下，温度和降雨量的变化将直接改变植被中叶片元素的空间式样、以及生态系统的养分循环和功能的变化。(生物谷 Bioon.com)
doi:10.1111/j.1466-8238.2011.00729.x
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Leaf element concentrations of terrestrial plants across China are influenced by taxonomy and the environment
Zhang, Shi‐Bao; Zhang, Jiao‐Lin; Slik, J. W. Ferry; Cao, Kun‐Fang
Keywords:Biogeography;China;climate;latitudinal gradient;leaf element;Mantel test;phylogenetically comparative method;taxonomyABSTRACTAim The productivity, functioning and biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems are strongly affected by leaf element concentrations. Understanding the biological and ecological factors affecting leaf element concentrations is therefore important for modelling the productivity and nutrient fluxes of ecosystems and their responses to global change. The present study aimed to determine how leaf element concentrations are linked to taxonomy and the environment.Location China.Methods The concentrations of 10 leaf elements of 702 terrestrial plant species from different biomes were extracted from publications. The links between environmental variables, taxonomy and leaf elements were analyzed using phylogenetically comparative methods and partial Mantel tests.Results Taxonomy had stronger effects on leaf S and SiO2 than latitude, explaining 40.2–43.9% of total variation, whereas latitude had stronger effects on leaf N, P, K, Fe, Al, Mn, Na and Ca concentrations, explaining 19.5–52.1% of total variation. Leaf N, S, Al, Fe and Na concentrations were correlated with mean annual precipitation (MAP), while leaf N, P and Fe concentrations were correlated with mean annual temperature (MAT). Latitude, MAP and MAT were significantly correlated with the first axis of a principal components analysis (PCA). This first axis was associated with leaf elements involved in protein synthesis and photosynthesis. The other PCA axes, which were not correlated with MAT, latitude and MAP, were associated with leaf elements responsible for cell structure and enzymes.Main conclusions Leaf element concentrations of terrestrial plants in China were correlated with climate, latitude and taxonomy. With the exception of S and SiO2, the environmental factors were more important in explaining leaf element variation than taxonomy. Therefore, changes in temperature and precipitation will directly affect the spatial patterns of leaf elements and thus the associated nutrient fluxes and ecosystem functioning.
