Effects of Different Soils on the Biomass and Photosynthesis of Rumex nepalensis in Subalpine Region of Southwestern China

The performance of Rumex nepalensis, an important medicinal herb, varies significantly among subalpine grasslands, shrublands and forest ecosystems in southwestern China. Plant–soil feedback is receiving increasing interest as driver influencing plant growth population dynamics. However, the effects soils from different on R. nepalensis remain poorly understood. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to identify soil sources photosynthesis biomass nepalensis. grown collected rooting zones (a grassland soil, RS treatment), Hippophae rhamnoides shrub HS Picea asperata PS treatment). chlorophyll contents, net photosynthetic rates, biomasses differed three followed order > PS. After sterilization, these parameters HS. total 16.5 times higher sterilized than unsterilized PS, indicating that existence microbes P. could strongly inhibit growth. root shoot ratio highest but lowest which showed change allocation. Constrained redundancy analysis path suggested impact via activities extracellular enzymes (e.g., ?-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG)) live soils. soluble nitrogen concentration might be main factor regulating Our findings underline importance natural will help better predict