Global patterns of leaf nutrient resorption in herbaceous plants

Abstract. Nutrient resorption plays an important role in plant ecology because it plays a key role in nutrient conservation strategies of plants. However, our current knowledge about the patterns of nutrient resorption among herbaceous species at a global scale is still inadequate. Here, we present a meta-analysis using a global dataset of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption efficiency spanning 521 observations and 248 herbaceous species. This analysis shows that the N resorption efficiency (NRE) and P resorption efficiency (PRE) across all herbaceous plant groups are 54.7 % and 64.5 %, respectively. Across all species, NRE, PRE and N : P resorption ratios (NRE : PRE) vary statistically significantly at a global scale, i.e., NRE, PRE and NRE : PRE increase with increasing latitude but decrease with increasing mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP). For different functional groups, similar patterns of NRE, PRE and NRE : PRE with respect to latitude, MAT and MAP are observed. Our study are very important complementary to global-scale studies of nutrient resorption and also can inform attempts to model biogeochemical cycling at a global scale.