Seasonal dynamics of N:P ratio stoichiometry and Ca fraction for four dominant plants in the Alxa Desert

Desert plants take on unique physiologically adaptive mechanisms in response to an adverse environment. In this study, we determined the concentrations of leaf nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), and calcium(Ca) fraction for dominant species of Artemisia ordosica, A. frigida, Calligonum mongolicum, and Oxytropis aciphylla in the Alxa Desert and discussed seasonal changes of their leaf N:P ratio and Ca fraction. The results showed that, from May to September, the N:P ratios of A. ordosica and C. mongolicum gradually and significantly increased, while those of A. frigida, and O. aciphylla had an increase trend that was not significant; the physiologically active Ca of A. ordosica and A. frigida increased significantly,while that of C. mongolicum and O. aciphylla decreased significantly. The physiologically inert calcium of C. mongolicum increased extremely significantly, while that of others was not significant. There was a significantly positive correlation between the N:P ratio and physiologically active Ca for A. ordosica, and the N:P ratio was significantly and negatively correlated with physiologically active Ca for O. aciphylla. These findings revealed that the physiological regulation mechanism was different for the plants either in earlier stage or later stage of plant-community succession.