Thinning drives C:N:P stoichiometry and nutrient resorption in Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations in North China

Abstract Carbon (C):nitrogen (N):phosphorous (P) stoichiometry and nutrient resorption play an important role in terrestrial biogeochemical cycling and functioning. However, little information is available about the changes in C:N:P stoichiometry and nutrient resorption following thinning in plantation forests. Here, to reveal how thinning affects the C:N:P stoichiometry and nutrient resorption and their relationships, green leaves, senesced leaves and soil samples were collected from a pure Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation in North China after 9 years of four different thinning treatments, i.e., control (CK, 0% thinning), low thinning (LT, 14% thinning), moderate thinning (MT, 28% thinning) and high thinning (HT, 42% thinning). The results showed that excluding the green leaf C contents, thinning significantly increased the C, N, and P contents in green leaves, senesced leaves, and soil (p   0.05). The N resorption efficiency (NRE) showed no significant differences among different thinning treatments (p > 0.05), while thinning significantly decreased the P resorption efficiency (PRE, p