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To clarify the effect of invasive alien plants on ecosystem functions, soil total carbon (TC), total carbon (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) contents were studied in the exotic invasive plant Spartina alterniflora marsh with different durations and the native species Cyperus malaccensis marsh in the Minjiang River estuary. The results showed that there were different variations of TC, TN and TP at 0-50 cm soil layer in the C. malaccensis marsh invaded by S. alterniflora, but the changes of TC and TN were similar and the change of the TP lagged behind them. Soil C/N increased continually with the increase of TC. Soil TP was a key factor affecting soil C/P and N/P during the S. alterniflora invasion, and the change of C/P and N/P followed a similar trend. The changes of TC, TN and TP were influenced by abiotic factors such as soil salinity, bulk density, soil water content and clay composition. C, N and P stoichiometric ratios were influenced mainly by soil salinity and grain composition. C/N and C/P were the good indicators for soil carbon enrichment ability in S. alterniflora marsh. S. alterniflora invasion induced the change of biomass and marsh habitats. Soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus contents, and their ecological stoichiometric ratios changed significantly in the C. malaccensis marsh invaded by S. alterniflora and showed diffe-rent change characteristics with different invasion duration.

To clarify responses of soil ecological stoichiometry in wetland to human disturbance, the ecological stoichiometry characteristics of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus elements of soil in Phragmites australis marsh, grassland, flat breed aquatics, cropland, pond aquaculture after human disturbance and abandoned cropland after human disturbance restoration in Minjiang River estuary were analyzed. The results showed: averaged values of C/N, C/P, N/P ratios were declined as the human disturbance increment, which appeared that Phragmites australis marsh, grassland (lower human disturbance, 25.53, 156.06, 6.11 and 27.58, 158.99, 5.78) were bigger than flat breed aquatics (medium human disturbance, 25.02, 96.90, 3.87), and flat breed aquatics (medium human disturbance) were bigger than cropland, pond aquaculture (higher human disturbance, 17.55, 46.19, 2.65 and 22.30, 57.51, 2.62). Compared with cropland, C/N, C/P, N/P ratios in abandoned cropland (human disturbance restoration) were (19.95, 63.81, 3.18) higher. The influencing factors were changed with the human disturbance intensity. Soil C/N ratios showed relatively small variation between different human disturbance and soil depth, while C/P and N/P ratios showed a high heterogeneity. The ratio of carbon to nutrition had preferable indication for carbon storage.

Taking the native Phragmites australis and invasive Spartina alterniflora in Minjiang River estuary as test objectives, this paper studied the seasonal dynamics of their biomass and nitrogen- and phosphorus absorption efficiency. A typical single-peak curve was presented for the seasonal dynamics of aboveground biomass and nitrogen- and phosphorus absorption efficiency of the two species. P. australis had the maximum aboveground biomass (2195.33 g X m(-2)) in summer, while S. alterniflora had it (3670.02 g X m(-2)) in autumn. The total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents of P. australis reached the peak (21.06 g x m(-2) of TN and 1.12 g x m(-2) of TP) in summer and in autumn, respectively, while those of S. alterniflora all reached the peak (26.76 g x m(-2) of TN and 3.23 g x m(-2) of TP) in autumn. Both of the two species had a higher absorption efficiency in TN than in TP (P < 0.01), and S. alterniflora had a significantly higher absorption efficiency of TN and TP than P. australis (P < 0.05). To some extent, the N/P, C/N, and C/P ratios of plants could indicate the nitrogen- and phosphorus absorption efficiency of the plants.

Taking the native Phragmites australis and invasive Spartina alterniflora in Minjiang River estuary as test objectives, this paper studied the seasonal dynamics of their biomass and nitrogen- and phosphorus absorption efficiency. A typical single-peak curve was presented for the seasonal dynamics of aboveground biomass and nitrogen- and phosphorus absorption efficiency of the two species. P. australis had the maximum aboveground biomass (2195.33 g∙m-2) in summer, while S. alterniflora had it (3670.02 g∙m-2) in autumn. The total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents of P. australis reached the peak (21.06 g∙m-2 of TN and 1.12 g∙m-2 of TP) in summer and in autumn, respectively, while those of S. alterniflora all reached the peak (26.76 g∙m-2 of TN and 3.23 g∙m-2 of TP) in autumn. Both of the two species had a higher absorption efficiency in TN than in TP (P<0.01), and S. alterniflora had a significantly higher absorption efficiency of TN and TP than P. australis (P<0.05). To some extent, the N/P, C/N, and C/P ratios of plants could indicate the nitrogen- and phosphorus absorption efficiency of the plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]