Effects of leaf longevity and retranslocation efficiency on the retention time of nutrients in the leaf biomass of different woody species

A. Escudero, J.M. del Arco, I.C. Sanz, and J. AyalaEffects of leaf longevity and retranslocation efficiency on the retention time of nutrients in the leaf biomass of different woody species - Oecologia

A study was made of the retention times of N
and P in the leaf biomass and their relationship with the
retranslocation percentages and the leaf longevities in
some woody species in Central Spain. The retention
times of both nutrients were strongly related to the nutrient
status of each species. These results suggest that a
prolonged retention time is a way of increasing nutrient
use efficiency in conditions of low nutrient availability.
Plants can increase the retention time of nutrients in their
leaf biomass by means of an increase in leaf longevity
and/or by means of an increase in retranslocation efficiency.
However, the effect of the retranslocation efficiency
on retention times was almost negligible compared
with the effect of leaf longevity. This suggests that an
increase in leaf longevity is probably the best adaptation
for increasing efficiency in the use of nutrients.

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