Plant-soil-enzyme C-N-P stoichiometry and microbial nutrient limitation responses to plant-soil feedbacks during community succession: A 3-year pot experiment in China.

Studying plant-soil feedback (PSF) can improve the understanding of the plant community composition and structure; however, changes in plant-soil-enzyme stoichiometry in response to PSF are unclear. The present study aimed to analyze the changes in plant-soil-enzyme stoichiometry and microbial nutrient limitation to PSF, and identify the roles of nutrient limitation in PSF. , , and were selected as representative grass species in early-, mid-, and late-succession; furthermore, three soil types were collected from grass species communities in early-, mid-, and late-succession to treat the three successional species. A 3-year (represents three growth periods) PSF experiment was performed with the three grasses in the soil in the three succession stages. We analyzed plant biomass and plant-soil-enzyme C-N-P stoichiometry for each plant growth period. The plant growth period mainly affected the plant C:N in the early- and late- species but showed a less pronounced effect on the soil C:N. During the three growth periods, the plants changed from N-limited to P-limited; the three successional species soils were mainly limited by N, whereas the microbes were limited by both C and N. The plant-soil-enzyme stoichiometry and plant biomass were not significantly correlated. In conclusion, during PSF, the plant growth period significantly influences the plant-soil-microbial nutrient limitations. Plant-soil-enzyme stoichiometry and microbial nutrient limitation cannot effectively explain PSF during succession on the Loess Plateau.