Controls over leaf N and P stoichiometry of 121 plant species in a grassland reserve

Exploring the controls over leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry is critical to understanding the biogeography of plant species and the adaptation of plants to global changes. Studies have revealed major drivers for regional- and global-scale variations in leaf N, P, and N:P ratio. However, the local-scale controls over leaf N and P stoichiometry remains poorly understood. We adopted a revisiting and resampling approach to compare the leaf N, P, and N:P ratio of the same 121 plant species between 1979 and 2018 in the Xilingol grassland reserve, as a 2 °C increase in the mean annual temperature had occurred during this period. We grouped the 121 species by taxon (family), life form, and habitat type, and evaluated the roles of these factors in affecting leaf N, P, and N:P ratio.