Leaf phosphorus fractions vary with leaf economic traits among 35 Australian woody species

Summary Adaptations of plants to phosphorus (P) deficiency include reduced investment of leaf P in storage (orthophosphates in vacuoles), nucleic acids and membrane lipids. Yet, it is unclear how these adaptations are associated with plant ecological strategies. Five leaf P fractions (orthophosphate P, P i ; metabolite P, P M ; nucleic acid P, P N ; lipid P, P L ; and residual P, P R ) were analysed alongside leaf economic traits among 35 Australian woody species from three habitats: one a high‐P basalt‐derived soil and two low‐P sandstone‐derived soils, one undisturbed and one disturbed by human activities with artificial P inputs. Species at the undisturbed low‐P site generally exhibited lower concentrations of total leaf P ([P total ]), primarily associated with lower concentrations of P i , and P N . The relative allocation of P to each fraction varied little among sites, except that higher P L per [P total ] (rP L ) was recorded at the undisturbed low‐P site than at the high‐P site. This higher rP L , reflecting relative allocation to membranes, was primarily associated with lower concentrations of leaf nitrogen at the undisturbed low‐P site than at the high‐P site. Associations between leaf P fractions and leaf nitrogen may provide a basis for understanding the variation in plant ecological strategies dependent on soil P availability.