[Stoichiometric characteristics of Artemisia sacrorum communities under different site conditions and their...

We explored the stoichiometric characteristic of Artemisia sacrorum communities and its correlation with soil characters by considering the aspect and slope position, and variation of soil nutrient in Yangqingchuan catchment of Wuqi. Our results showed that total carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus contents and C:N ratio in A. sacrorum (both shoot and root) in the top of hillock>sunny slope>semi-shady slope>shady slope. The C:P ratio in shoot and the N:P ratio in root decreased consistently. The N:P ratio in shoot and the C:P ratio in root decreased first and then increased. While the total nitrogen and total phosphorus in shoot, and the organic carbon in root increased first and then decreased with the decreases of slope position, the C:N ratio and N:P ratio in shoot decreased first and then increased. The stoichiometric characteristic of A. sacrorum communities was positively correlated with the soil stoichiometric characteristics. However, the C:N ratio, C:P ratio and N:P ratio of A. sacrorum and the total phosphorus of root were negatively correlated to corresponding soil indices. The correlation between shoot nutrition and soil was greater than that between soil and root nutrition. In conclusion, middle position of shady slope was optimal for the growth of A. sacrorum. The stoichiometric characteristics of plants were significantly correlated with soil nutrient condition. Aspect and slope position had a significant effect on the stoichiometric cha-racteristics of A. sacrorum community and soil. Proper A. sacrorum community could help restore soil nutrition.