Climatic shift and vegetation adaption with altitude increase intensified soil nutrient loss in subtropical highlands

Abstract

Despite the critical role of plant resource allocation and soil characteristics in plant survival across different altitudes in subtropical China, the detailed dynamics of these interactions had not been previously well-documented. This investigation endeavored to examine the linkage between the characteristics of plant community functions and the physical and chemical attributes of soil at differing elevations within the mountainous forests of the Jinhua Mountain area. The results indicated that as altitude increased, most soil nutrient and moisture traits showed a declining trend, with Bulk Density (SBD) and Total Phosphorus (TP) initially increasing, then stabilizing or slightly rebounding. Specific Leaf Area (SLA) increased from 101.5 to 153.8 cm² g⁻¹ with altitude increase, but Leaf Dry Matter Content (LDMC) and Potential Maximum Height (H_max) decreased (from 22.3 to 6.1 m). High-altitude shrub communities preferred environments with high SBD (6.8 g cm³) but limited moisture and nutrients, exhibiting traits of rapid nutrient uptake and photosynthesis, indicative of a fast-growing ecological strategy. In contrast, low-altitude tree communities displayed more conservative strategy traits. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) revealed that climate variables accounted for 53.09% of the variance in RDA1, highlighting the significant impact of mean annual temperature and precipitation on plant community traits. Soil variables, in contrast, explained 47.99% of the variance in RDA2. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) confirmed that the raised altitude enhanced plant nutrient acquisition capabilities while suppressing the plant's ability to retain soil nutrients, significantly reducing soil nutrient content. Furthermore, the decline in soil moisture retention capacity further promoted plant acquisition strategies, exacerbating soil nutrient scarcity in high-altitude regions. The findings of this study contributed to a more nuanced comprehension of the multifaceted interactions between plant communities and soil in subtropical ecosystems, providing a robust foundation for ecological management and strategies for preserving ecosystems.

Graphic Abstract

Keywords

Plant functional traits / Elevation gradient / Soil factors / Ecological strategies

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