The leaf nutrient dynamics of shrubs was evaluated in a tropical dry deciduous forest in Rajasthan, North-West India (27°4′ to 28°4′N and 76°7′ to 77°13′E). Samples of immature, mature and senescing leaves of deciduous shrubs, Justicia adhatoda and Grewia flavescens and an evergreen shrub, Capparis sepiaria were collected from three locations from the middle part of the West facing hill slope in the protected Bala-fort forest. The leaves for each species for each developmental stage were analysed to estimate the percentage of 11 elements by X-ray fluorescence method. The immature leaves of Capparis sepiaria showed maximum percentage of K (2.1) and Ca (1.17) in comparison to other elements. Similarly Justicia adhatoda and Grewia flavescens exhibited highest percentage of K and Ca in immature leaves. In mature leaves percentage of K and Ca increased in Justicia adhatoda, percentage of only K increased in Grewia flavescens whereas percentage of K declined and Ca increased in Capparis sepiaria. Out of the 11 elements evaluated, Justicia adhatoda, Grewia flavescens and Capparis sepiaria resorbed 10, 8 and 5 elements, respectively. Different shrubs concentrate and reabsorb varying amounts of different elements in their leaves. The resorption efficiency of elements in deciduous shrubs was higher than the evergreen shrub. The resorption efficiency of elements in shrubs was higher in the nutrient rich soil. Thus, it may be suggested that resorption pattern of shrubs is different from that of tree species. The slow leaf nutrient dynamics of the evergreen shrub may be attributed to its small size and longer life span of leaves as compared to the other two species. Thus, the low nutrient requirement for leaf development appears to be a better adaptation of the evergreen shrub than the deciduous shrubs in this semi-arid climate of this region. It may be suggested that shrubs play important role in the conservation of nutrients in the tropical dry deciduous forests of semi-arid regions in India.

中文翻译：

---

印度西北拉贾斯坦邦热带落叶乔木中灌木的叶片养分动态

在印度西北部的拉贾斯坦邦（27°4'至28°4'N和76°7'至77°13'E）的热带干旱落叶林中评估了灌木的叶片养分动态。从受保护的巴拉福森林中面向山坡的西侧中部的三个位置采集了落叶灌木，Justicia adhatoda和Grewia flavescens的未成熟叶片，成熟叶片和衰老叶片的样本，以及常绿灌木Capparis sepiaria。通过X射线荧光法分析每个物种在每个发育阶段的叶片，以估计11种元素的百分比。与其他元素相比，Capparis sepiaria的未成熟叶片显示出最大的K（2.1）和Ca（1.17）百分比。相似地在未成熟叶片中，adhatoda和Grewia flavescens表现出最高的钾和钙百分比。在钾和钙的成熟叶比例增加正义宰牲节到大，只有钾比例增加扁担苦参中K的比例下降，钙增加刺山柑sepiaria。在评估的11种元素中，Justicia adhatoda，Grewia flavescens和Capparis sepiaria分别吸收了10、8和5个元素。不同的灌木会集中并重吸收叶片中不同量的不同元素。落叶灌木中元素的吸收效率高于常绿灌木。在富含营养的土壤中，灌木中元素的吸收效率更高。因此，可能暗示灌木的吸收模式不同于树木的吸收模式。与其他两个物种相比，常绿灌木的叶片养分动态缓慢可能归因于其较小的尺寸和较长的叶片寿命。因此，在该地区的半干旱气候下，叶片发育所需的低养分似乎比落叶灌木更好地适应了常绿灌木。