Background and aims In leaves, ~ 25% of phosphorus (P) is allocated to membrane phospholipids. A significant amount of leaf P is resorbed during leaf senescence to reduce plant P loss upon leaf abscission and fuel the growth of new leaves. High P resorption observed in plants on P depleted soils has been associated with extensive resorption of all P-fractions, including phospholipids, from senescent leaves. This high resorptio...

Background and aims Plant and soil microbes can reduce their phosphorus (P)-requirements by replacing phospholipids with non-P containing lipids (e.g., galactolipids, sulfolipids, and betaine lipids). There have been few studies of this process in the field (i.e., in natural ecosystems); thus, it is unclear whether a similar replacement of phospholipids with non-P lipids occurs across natural gradients of soil P-availability....