Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden
This project investigated how elevation and vegetation type influences variation in plant litter phenolic content and protein precipitation capacity among and within common plant species for two different vegetation types, heath and meadow, in a subarctic ecosystem in the Abisko region of northern S...
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| Formato: | H1 |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés sueco |
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SLU/Dept. of Forest Ecology and Management
2010
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| _version_ | 1855570243502473216 |
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| author | Olofsson, Elin |
| author_browse | Olofsson, Elin |
| author_facet | Olofsson, Elin |
| author_sort | Olofsson, Elin |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | This project investigated how elevation and vegetation type influences variation in plant litter phenolic content and protein precipitation capacity among and within common plant species for two different vegetation types, heath and meadow, in a subarctic ecosystem in the Abisko region of northern Sweden. As nutrient availability generally decreases with increasing elevation as a result of decreasing temperature, I hypothesised that phenolic content would increase with elevation and be higher on the heath than the meadow. To test this, the total phenolic content and protein precipitation capacity was estimated in leaf litter from 13 species in both heath and meadow vegetation across an elevational gradient ranging from 500 to 1000 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) in the study region. The results showed that elevation and vegetation type both had a strong impact on both variables. Total phenolic concentrations decreased with elevation for the meadow, and were greater for the heath than the meadow. Moreover, there was a general trend of decline in protein precipitation with increasing elevation for both vegetation types. Further, species that dominated at higher elevations produced litter with lower phenolic concentrations and protein precipitation capacity than did those species that dominated at lower elevations. My results are inconsistent with my hypothesis as well as with previous studies that have suggested a negative relationship between phenolic content and nutrient availability. They also highlight the need for an improved understanding of what factors drive phenolic production in plant litter, both within subarctic ecosystems and more generally.
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| format | H1 |
| id | RepoSLU915 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Inglés swe |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publishDateSort | 2010 |
| publisher | SLU/Dept. of Forest Ecology and Management |
| publisherStr | SLU/Dept. of Forest Ecology and Management |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU9152012-04-20T14:11:30Z Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden Variation i proteinbindningskapacitet och fenolhalt inom och mellar arter över en höjdgradient i subarktiska Sverige Olofsson, Elin Phenolic compounds Protein complexation Elevational gradient Subarctic Fertility gradient This project investigated how elevation and vegetation type influences variation in plant litter phenolic content and protein precipitation capacity among and within common plant species for two different vegetation types, heath and meadow, in a subarctic ecosystem in the Abisko region of northern Sweden. As nutrient availability generally decreases with increasing elevation as a result of decreasing temperature, I hypothesised that phenolic content would increase with elevation and be higher on the heath than the meadow. To test this, the total phenolic content and protein precipitation capacity was estimated in leaf litter from 13 species in both heath and meadow vegetation across an elevational gradient ranging from 500 to 1000 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) in the study region. The results showed that elevation and vegetation type both had a strong impact on both variables. Total phenolic concentrations decreased with elevation for the meadow, and were greater for the heath than the meadow. Moreover, there was a general trend of decline in protein precipitation with increasing elevation for both vegetation types. Further, species that dominated at higher elevations produced litter with lower phenolic concentrations and protein precipitation capacity than did those species that dominated at lower elevations. My results are inconsistent with my hypothesis as well as with previous studies that have suggested a negative relationship between phenolic content and nutrient availability. They also highlight the need for an improved understanding of what factors drive phenolic production in plant litter, both within subarctic ecosystems and more generally. I det här projektet undersökte hur fenolhalt och proteinbindningskapacitet i vanligt förekommande fjällväxter påverkas av höjd över havet och vegetationstyp (hed och äng) i ett subarktiskt ekosystem i Abisko, norra Sverige. Min hypotes vid projektets början var att fenolhalten skulle öka med höjden och vara högre i växter från hed än från äng, p.g.a. att näringsförhållandena generellt minskar med höjd över havet som ett resultat av minskande temperatur. För att studera detta mättes den totala fenolhalten och proteinbindningskapaciteten i blad från 13 arter hemmahörande i hed- och ängsvegetation över en höjdgradient som sträcker sig från 500 till 1000 meter över havet. Resultaten visade att både höjd över havet och vegetationstyp hade stor påverkan på båda variablerna. Total fenolhalt minskade med stigande höjd över havet i ängsvegetationen och var generellt högre på hed än på äng. Därtill fanns en generellt avtagande trend i proteinbindningskapacitet med höjd i båda vegetationstyperna. Arter som dominerade högre höjder innehöll lägre fenolhalter och sämre proteinbindningskapacitet än arter från lägre höjder. Mina resultat överensstämmer varken med min hypotes eller tidigare studier som har föreslagit ett negativt samband mellan fenolhalt och näringstillgång. Resultaten pekar också på behovet av en förbättrad förståelse för de faktorer som styr fenolproduktion i växter, både inom subarktiska ekosystem och mer generellt. SLU/Dept. of Forest Ecology and Management 2010 H1 eng swe https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/915/ |
| spellingShingle | Phenolic compounds Protein complexation Elevational gradient Subarctic Fertility gradient Olofsson, Elin Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden |
| title | Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden |
| title_full | Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden |
| title_fullStr | Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden |
| title_short | Variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic Sweden |
| title_sort | variation in protein precipitation and phenolic content within and among species across an elevational gradient in subarctic sweden |
| topic | Phenolic compounds Protein complexation Elevational gradient Subarctic Fertility gradient |