Abstract To determine how nutrient concentrations and stoichiometric ratios in plants, litter, and soil respond to environmental factors, we examined Pinus densata forests in southeastern Xizang and quantified stoichiometric dynamics across the plant–litter–soil continuum. Climatic variables were recorded at three elevations (3100, 3400, and 3700 m above sea level). Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations were measured in plant organs (leaf, branch, trunk, and root), litter decomposition layers (undecomposed, partially decomposed, and fully decomposed layers), and soils at three depths (0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm), together with soil physicochemical properties. Across the elevational gradient, plants, litter, and soil differed significantly in C, N, and P concentrations and in stoichiometric ratios. At each elevation, C and P concentrations were highest in plants, intermediate in litter, and lowest in soil. Within plants, leaves contained significantly higher C, N, and P concentrations than branches, trunks, and roots. In litter, C concentration and the C:N and C:P ratios were highest in the undecomposed layer, whereas N and P concentrations were highest in the partially decomposed layer. In soil, available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and C, N, and P concentrations and stoichiometric ratios were highest in the 0 to 10‐cm layer and decreased with depth. Redundancy analysis and partial least squares path modeling indicated significant linkages among plant, litter, and soil nutrients, and showed that the effects of environmental factors on stoichiometry differed among these compartments; AN and AP were the strongest predictors of variation in C:N:P stoichiometry across the plant–litter–soil continuum. Consistent with these patterns, plant growth in the study area was N‐limited. Together, these results refine understanding of above‐ and belowground nutrient cycling, nutrient limitation, and plant–environment linkages in montane Pi. densata forests under climate change.
Guo et al. (Sun,) studied this question.