Dynamic responses of non-structural carbohydrates and nutrient accumulation in Populus tomentosa organs under different thinning intensities

TANG Zehao, JIA Liming, WANG Yafei, DENG Tan

Journal of Nanjing Forestry University (Natural Sciences Edition） ›› 0

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南京林业大学学报（自然科学版）
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Journal of Nanjing Forestry University (Natural Sciences Edition） ›› 0 DOI: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202512008

Dynamic responses of non-structural carbohydrates and nutrient accumulation in Populus tomentosa organs under different thinning intensities

  • TANG Zehao1, JIA Liming1,*, WANG Yafei1, DENG Tan2
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Abstract

【Objective】Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) together with nutrient availability play a key role in regulating plant carbon allocation, but the inter-organ coordination mechanisms and their responses to thinning remain unclear. Using a triploid Populus tomentosa plantation in the North China Plain, this study examined the effects of different thinning intensities on the dynamics of NSC and its components (soluble sugars and starch), as well as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents, across different organs and growth stages. 【Method】An eight-year-old triploid P. tomentosa S86 plantation was subjected to three thinning treatments: no thinning (NT), row thinning removing 50% of trees (T50), and row-plant thinning removing 75% of trees (T75). Leaf, branch, trunk, and root samples were collected during the early growing season, peak growing season, and end of growing season. Concentrations of soluble sugars, starch, NSC, N, and P were measured for each organ. The study analyzed the variation patterns of NSC and its components and explored the coupling relationships between organ NSC and N:P stoichiometric ratios.【Results】(1) NSC and nutrients showed spatio temporal differentiation among organs. Leaf soluble sugars peaked in the early and peak growing seasons and declined by approximately 46% at the end of the season. At the end of the season, root soluble sugars and starch were significantly higher than those in other organs, with root starch increasing by 294% compared to early-season values. Branch and root NSC and their components increased with the growing season, while trunk values remained consistently the lowest and stable. Nitrogen was redistributed from leaves to branches and roots, whereas phosphorus exhibited relatively small seasonal variation overall. (2) The effects of thinning on NSC and nutrients varied with growth stage. In leaves, early-season soluble sugars and NSC decreased with thinning intensity, while N showed a “rise then fall” pattern. In branches, end-of-season starch was highest under T50; N responded significantly to thinning, but P did not. In the trunk, early-season NSC first decreased and then increased, with N showing stage-dependent responses. In roots, soluble sugars were unaffected by thinning, but end-of-season starch increased by 39.49% under T50 and 72.29% under T75 compared to NT; N and P responses were generally limited. Thinning had a stronger regulatory effect on NSC allocation than on nutrient allocation. (3)In branches and trunks, NSC and its components increased significantly with rising N:P ratio (R2= 0.262~0.425), while no significant relationships were found in leaves or roots.【Conclusion】Different organs of Populus tomentosa exhibit differentiated NSC—nutrient coupling strategies, with leaves and roots dominating short-term carbon fluctuations and NSC accumulation in branches and trunks being co-regulated by the N:P ratio. Thinning enhances root carbon reserves mainly by altering NSC allocation, thereby improving tree stress resistance. This study provides a physiological and ecological basis for carbon regulation and sustainable management of planted forests.

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Populus tomentosa / plantation management / forest thinning / non-structural carbohydrates / nutrient content / stoichiometry

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TANG Zehao, JIA Liming, WANG Yafei, DENG Tan. Dynamic responses of non-structural carbohydrates and nutrient accumulation in Populus tomentosa organs under different thinning intensities[J]. Journal of Nanjing Forestry University (Natural Sciences Edition）. 0 https://doi.org/10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202512008

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