Stoichiometry traits of carbon,nitrogen,and phosphorus in plants of different functional groups and their responses to micro-topographical variations in the hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau,China

Studying the stoichiometric characteristics of carbon( C),nitrogen( N),and phosphorus( P) in plants of different functional groups and their responses to micro-topographical variations in hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau of China will be beneficial in terms of understanding the adaptive strategies of plants to the hilly and gully environment. This study involved an analysis in plants of different functional groups growing under different micro-topographical conditions,such as slope aspect and slope position,in a forest-steppe zone in the hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau of China.Specifically,we studied the stoichiometric characteristics of C,N,and P in leaf and root tissues of these plants and their responses to micro-topographical conditions, including the concentrations of C, N, and P and the stoichiometric characteristics of leaf and fine root tissue of plants in different functional groups. First,the results showed that the leaf total N and P concentrations( LN and LP,respectively),f