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Bulletin of Botanical Research ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (2): 348-360.doi: 10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2026.02.013

• Original Paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Responses of Non-structural Carbohydrates and Stoichiometric Characteristics of Pinus koraiensis to Thinning

Hairui WEN1, Yuchun YANG2(), Yue LIU2, Chunjing JIAO2, Jun WANG2, Fang WANG2, Yelei YANG1, Yitong LI2, Jie WANG3   

  1. 1.College of Forestry and Grassland Science,Jilin Agricultural University,Changchun 130118
    2.Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Science,Changchun 130033
    3.Shangying Forest Management Bureau of Jilin Province,Shulan 132607
  • Received:2025-11-24 Online:2026-03-20 Published:2026-04-02
  • Contact: Yuchun YANG E-mail:yang-yu-chun@163.com

Abstract:

Non-structural carbohydrates(NSC) and ecological stoichiometric characteristics form the foundation of plant carbon-nutrient balance, regulating energy storage and nutrient use efficiency, respectively. These elements are essential for elucidating plant adaptation strategies to environmental conditions. However, the allocation patterns of NSC and stoichiometric characteristics across different plant organs under varying thinning intensities remain poorly understood. To address this gap, a middle-aged artificial Pinus koraiensis forest in the Shangying Forest Bureau of Jilin Province was selected as the study site. Four thinning treatments were applied: control(CK, 0), light(LT, 10%), moderate(MT, 20%), and heavy(HT, 30%). Measurements of NSC, carbon(C), nitrogen(N), and phosphorus(P) were conducted in leaves, branches, stems, and roots to evaluate the effects of thinning. Results indicated that thinning significantly increased NSC levels in all organs(P<0.05), with the highest contents observed under the MT treatment. Leaf C content remained stable, while N and P contents exhibited a unimodal trend, peaking under the MT treatment. Compared to the CK treatment, N and P levels increased by 17.6% and 34.9%, respectively, under the MT treatment, accompanied by lower C∶N and C∶P ratios. Conversely, the HT treatment caused a significant reduction in N and P contents in branches and stems, with decreases of 8.9% and 26.9%, respectively(P<0.05). Root C content increased with thinning intensity, rising by 11.3% under the HT treatment compared to the CK treatment. Changes in N and P in roots mirrored those in leaves, while the C∶N and C∶P ratios in the HT treatment were 23.5% and 33.3% higher than those in the CK treatment. PCA revealed that the cumulative contribution rates of the PC1 and the PC2 were 82.6% in the LT treatment, 93.8% in the MT treatment, and 92.2% in the HT treatment. Across all thinning intensities, soluble sugar, NSC, and P contributed significantly to PC1, whereas C, N, and N∶P had higher contributions to PC2. In conclusion, moderate thinning emerged as the optimal treatment, enhancing understanding of how thinning influences tree non-structural carbohydrates and stoichiometric characteristics.

Key words: thinning intensity, Pinus koraiensis plantations, non-structural carbohydrates, stoichiometric characteristics

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