Variation in soil nutrient availability can influence the functional traits and performance of tree species in a forested landscape. We tested this hypothesis by studying the variations in leaf-traits, and N- and P-resorption efficiencies of a few evergreen (Myrica esculenta, Rhododendron arboretum and Lithocarpus dealbatus) and deciduous (Quercus griffithii, Engelhardtia spicata and Lyonia ovalifolia) tree species growing in montane subtropical old-growth and regenerating forests of Meghalaya, northeast India, varying in their soil characteristics. Trees of the old-growth forest stand, having greater soil total N and P, proved to be much efficient in their foliar nutrient resorption (mean = 42.0% for N and mean = 82.1% for P) and showed higher leaf nutritional quality compared to the regenerating forest stand. Deciduous species had greater N-resorption efficiencies (45.3–49.7%) than the evergreen species (23.6–56.9%) in the old-growth stand. However, in the regenerating stand, the evergreen species were better at resorbing both N (30.6–55.9%) and P (67.9–76.4%) from their leaves than the deciduous species (23.2–40.9% for N and 33.2–52.0% for P). Overall, phosphorus was the limiting nutrient for growth in both the functional groups, with relatively low concentrations in the soils of the two forest stands. The evergreen and deciduous trees in the old-growth forest are found to tightly conserve nutrients with higher leaf N and P concentrations and higher N- and P- resorption efficiencies than the regenerating forest stand. The study clearly indicates that soil fertility has profound effect on the internal nutrient cycling of evergreen and deciduous tree species.

中文翻译：

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当地的水生因子影响常绿和落叶乔木的叶片养分吸收效率：以梅加拉亚邦的亚热带山地老树和再生林为例

土壤养分有效性的变化会影响森林景观中树木的功能性状和性能。我们通过研究一些常绿（esricenta esculenta，杜鹃花植物和杜鹃Lithocarpus dealbatus）和落叶（Quercus griffithii，Engelhardtia spicata和Lyonia椭圆叶）的叶片性状，N-和P-吸收效率的变化来检验该假设。）生长在印度东北部梅加拉亚邦的山地亚热带老林和再生林中的树种，其土壤特性各不相同。与土壤中的总氮和磷相比，老龄林林木的叶面养分吸收效率更高（氮的平均值= 42.0％，磷的平均值= 82.1％），并且叶片营养质量比更新中的林分。在老龄林中，落叶树种的氮吸收效率（45.3–49.7％）高于常绿树种（23.6–56.9％）。然而，在再生林中，常绿树种比落叶树种（N占23.2–40.9％，N = 33.2–52.0％）更好地吸收叶片中的N（30.6–55.9％）和P（67.9–76.4％）。 P）。总体而言，磷是两个官能团生长的限制营养素，在两个森林林分的土壤中浓度相对较低。发现老龄林中的常绿和落叶乔木与再生林相比，能紧紧保存养分，具有较高的叶片氮和磷浓度以及更高的氮和磷吸收效率。研究清楚地表明，土壤肥力对常绿和落叶树种的内部养分循环具有深远的影响。