Bryophyte C:N:P stoichiometry, biogeochemical niches and elementome plasticity driven by environment and coexistence

Abstract

Ecological stoichiometry and studies of biogeochemical niches have mainly fo- cused on plankton and vascular plants, but the phenotypically closest modern rela- tives of early plants, bryophytes, have been largely neglected. We analysed C:N:P stoichiometries and elemental compositions (K, Na, Mg, Ca, S, Fe) of 35 widely distributed bryophyte species inhabiting springs. We estimated bryophyte C:N:P ratios and their biogeochemical niches, investigated how elementomes respond to the environment and determined whether they tend to diverge more for coexist- ing than non- coexisting individuals and species. The median C:N:P was 145:8:1, intermediate between Redfield ratio for marine plankton and those for vascular plants. Biogeochemical niches were differentiated amongst species and were phylo- genetically conserved. Differences in individual and species- specific elementomes increased with coexistence between species. Our results provide an evolutionary bridge between the ecological stoichiometries of algae and vascular plants and sug- gest that differences in elementomes could be used to understand community assemblages and functional diversity.

Marcos Fernández Martínez

Researcher - PI of the EDM research team

My research interests include global biogeochemical cycles, the role of nutrients on ecosystem functioning, forests and bryophytes