%0 Journal Article %1 citeulike:2333099 %A Körner, Ch %D 1989 %J Oecologia %K alpine, altitude, citeulikeExport gradients, nitrogen %N 3 %P 379--391 %R 10.1007/bf00377088 %T The nutritional status of plants from high altitudes %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00377088 %V 81 %X Are plants at high altitudes short in nutrients? In order to answer this question the mineral nutrient content of leaves from over 150 plant species from 9 different mountain areas of all major climatic zones were analyzed (Kjeldahl nitrogen in all, phosphate in half of the samples, K, Mg, Mn, Ca in the Alps only). The majority of data are from herbaceous perennials, but shrubs and trees were studied as well. N-partitioning was studied in 45 herbaceous species from contrasting altitudes in the Alps. The survey falls into three categories: (1) comparisons of whole communities of species from contrasting altitudes, (2) analysis of altitudinal gradients, and (3) additional collections from high altitude sites alone. Unlike the other mineral nutrients, nitrogen content follows consistent altitudinal and latitudinal trends. The higher altitude sample always had higher N content per unit leaf area, irrespective of life form, wherever comparable plants (the same or related species) were investigated at contrasting altitudes. N content per unit dry weight (\%) increased with altitude in herbaceous plants (in some species >4\%), but was remarkably stable in evergreen woody plants (around 1\%). The mean fraction of total plant N allocated to leaves of herbaceous plants in the Alps was the same at low and high altitude (1/3 of total). Leaf N (\%) from the regional upper limits of higher plant life reveals a latitudinal decrease from subarctic to equatorial mountains, which may be related to the duration of annual leaf activity. Since mean N content per leaf area hardly differs between the uppermost sites, life span expectation (sink-duration) seems to control carbon investments rather than N input per leaf area. The growth of leaves at high altitude seems to be controlled in a way that leads to comparatively high nutrient contents, which in turn support high metabolic activity. Inherent developmental growth constraints inhibit nutrient dilution in the plant body and thus defy the application of classical concepts of plant-nutrient versus soil-nutrient relations developed for lowlands and in particular for cultivated plants. The results re-emphasize the global significance of links between nitrogen content, leaf sclerophylly, leaf longevity and photosynthetic capacity.

@article{citeulike:2333099, abstract = {{Are plants at high altitudes short in nutrients? In order to answer this question the mineral nutrient content of leaves from over 150 plant species from 9 different mountain areas of all major climatic zones were analyzed (Kjeldahl nitrogen in all, phosphate in half of the samples, K, Mg, Mn, Ca in the Alps only). The majority of data are from herbaceous perennials, but shrubs and trees were studied as well. N-partitioning was studied in 45 herbaceous species from contrasting altitudes in the Alps. The survey falls into three categories: (1) comparisons of whole communities of species from contrasting altitudes, (2) analysis of altitudinal gradients, and (3) additional collections from high altitude sites alone. Unlike the other mineral nutrients, nitrogen content follows consistent altitudinal and latitudinal trends. The higher altitude sample always had higher N content per unit leaf area, irrespective of life form, wherever comparable plants (the same or related species) were investigated at contrasting altitudes. N content per unit dry weight (\%) increased with altitude in herbaceous plants (in some species >4\%), but was remarkably stable in evergreen woody plants (around 1\%). The mean fraction of total plant N allocated to leaves of herbaceous plants in the Alps was the same at low and high altitude (1/3 of total). Leaf N (\%) from the regional upper limits of higher plant life reveals a latitudinal decrease from subarctic to equatorial mountains, which may be related to the duration of annual leaf activity. Since mean N content per leaf area hardly differs between the uppermost sites, life span expectation (sink-duration) seems to control carbon investments rather than N input per leaf area. The growth of leaves at high altitude seems to be controlled in a way that leads to comparatively high nutrient contents, which in turn support high metabolic activity. Inherent developmental growth constraints inhibit nutrient dilution in the plant body and thus defy the application of classical concepts of plant-nutrient versus soil-nutrient relations developed for lowlands and in particular for cultivated plants. The results re-emphasize the global significance of links between nitrogen content, leaf sclerophylly, leaf longevity and photosynthetic capacity.}}, added-at = {2019-03-31T01:14:40.000+0100}, author = {K\"{o}rner, Ch}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2dca75781055206e5070df480c32473e1/dianella}, citeulike-article-id = {2333099}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00377088}, comment = {(private-note)The higher altitude sample always had higher N content per unit leaf area, irrespective of life form, wherever comparable plants (the same or related species) were investigated at contrasting altitudes. ---=note-separator=--- (private-note)Besides leaf size, increasing LWA (decreasing SLA) has been shown to be the most consistent morphological trend in leaves along altitudinal gradients (K6rner et al. 1989). ---=note-separator=--- (private-note)Studies in alpine plants that lack a comparable life form at low altitude, or produce dense and persistent clonal plant carpets, often show very low tissue nutrient Ievels. Examples are sclerophyllous alpine dwarf shrubs (Larcher 1977; K6rner 1984; Galland 1986), alpine tussock graminoids (Smeets 1980; Greer 1984; Galland 1986) and tropical giant rosettes (Schulze et al. 1985), with N values mostly below 1.5\% of leaf dry weight.}, day = 1, doi = {10.1007/bf00377088}, interhash = {c4a81b02e0bff404fd5a458d8874a049}, intrahash = {dca75781055206e5070df480c32473e1}, journal = {Oecologia}, keywords = {alpine, altitude, citeulikeExport gradients, nitrogen}, month = nov, number = 3, pages = {379--391}, posted-at = {2008-02-05 03:07:25}, priority = {2}, timestamp = {2019-03-31T01:16:26.000+0100}, title = {{The nutritional status of plants from high altitudes}}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00377088}, volume = 81, year = 1989 }