LongC_2023_Plant_leaf_data

Leaf senescence have shed light on its contribution to the recovery of nutrients and signaling of the transition from the active to the dormant stage in winter. However, how climatic and edaphic factors, and plant phylogeny affect the senescent leaf economics spectrum (more mineral elements included) of different growth habits along elevational gradients in mountain ecosystems is highly uncertain. To fill this gap, we examined 15 representative subalpine forest species’ senescent leaf functional traits (i.e., specific leaf area [SLA], leaf dry matter content [DMC], pH, carbon [C], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P], potassium [K], calcium [Ca], sodium [Na], magnesium [Mg], manganese [Mn], aluminum [Al], iron [Fe], C:N, N:P, and C:P ratios) to determine leaf economics spectrum strategies along elevational gradients in the Hengduan Mountains, China. Our results demonstrated that all the functional traits of senescent leaf showed strong correlations with one another, and the K was observed as the hub for leaf economics spectrum. Irrespective of the difference among growth habits (arbor <em>vs.</em> shrub), leaf habits (deciduous <em>vs. </em>evergreen), and leaf types (broad <em>vs.</em> needle), the variations in the two-dimensional spectrum of the senescent leaf trait exhibited uniformly positive associations with elevations, primarily attributed to climatic drivers. However, the modulation of senescent leaf economics spectrum by soil properties and plant phylogeny was surprisingly modest. Collectively, our results revealed that the resources trade-off of senescent leaves showed a trend from acquisition to conservation along elevational gradients, which could be broadened the plant economics spectrum to include senescent leaf.