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Zhang SB, Song Y, Wen HD, Chen YJ. Leaf nitrogen and phosphorus resorption efficiencies are related to drought resistance across woody species in a Chinese savanna. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 44:tpad149. [PMID: 38102768 PMCID: PMC10849754 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Leaf nutrient resorption and drought resistance are crucial for the growth and survival of plants. However, our understanding of the relationships between leaf nutrient resorption and plant drought resistance is still limited. In this study, we investigated the nitrogen and phosphorus resorption efficiencies (NRE and PRE), leaf structural traits, leaf osmotic potential at full hydration (Ψosm), xylem water potential at 50% loss of xylem-specific hydraulic conductivity (P50) and seasonal minimum water potential (Ψmin) for 18 shrub and tree species in a semiarid savanna ecosystem, in Southwest China. Our results showed that NRE and PRE exhibited trade-off against drought resistance traits (Ψosm and P50) across woody species. Moreover, this relationship was modulated by leaf structural investment. Species with low structural investment (e.g., leaf mass per area, leaf dry mass content and leaf construction cost [LCC]) tend to have high NRE and PRE, while those with high LCCs show high drought resistance, showing more negative Ψosm and P50.These results indicate that species with a lower leaf structural investment may have a greater need to recycle their nutrients, thus exhibiting higher nutrient resorption efficiencies, and vice versa. In conclusion, nutrient resorption efficiency may be a crucial adaptation strategy for coexisting plants in semiarid ecosystems, highlighting the importance of understanding the complex relationships between nutrient cycling and plant survival strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Bin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- T-STAR Core Team, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Yu Song
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Ministry of Education), Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541004, China
| | - Han-Dong Wen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- T-STAR Core Team, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Yuanjiang Savanna Ecosystem Research Station, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuanjiang, Yunnan 653300, China
| | - Ya-Jun Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- T-STAR Core Team, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Yuanjiang Savanna Ecosystem Research Station, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuanjiang, Yunnan 653300, China
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Yu X, Ji R, Li M, Xia X, Yin W, Liu C. Geographical variation in functional traits of leaves of Caryopteris mongholica and the role of climate. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:394. [PMID: 37580656 PMCID: PMC10426221 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04410-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quantifying intra-specific variation in leaf functional traits along environmental gradients is important for understanding species' responses to climate change. In this study, we assessed the degree of among and within populations variation in leaf functional traits and explored leaf response to geographic and climate change using Caryopteris mongholica as material, which has a wide range of distribution environments. RESULTS We selected 40 natural populations of C. mongholica, measured 8 leaf functional traits, analyzed the extent of trait variation among and within populations, and developed geographic and climatic models to explain trait variation between populations. Our results showed that the variation in leaf functional traits of C. mongholica was primarily lower within populations compared to among populations. Specifically, the leaf area (LA) exhibited higher variability both among and within populations, whereas leaf carbon content (LC) exhibited lower variation within populations but greater variation among populations. We observed a specific covariation pattern among traits and a strong linkage between morphological, economic, and mechanical traits. Increasing minimum temperature, precipitation of month, and seasonal precipitation differences all limited the growth and development of C. mongholica. However, it was observed that an increase in mean annual precipitation positively influenced the morphological development of its leaf. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the response of intra-specific trait variation to the environment and provide valuable insights into the adaptation of intra-specific leaf functional traits under changing climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Yu
- National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Ruoxuan Ji
- National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Mingming Li
- National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xinli Xia
- National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Weilun Yin
- National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Chao Liu
- National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Song HQ, Wang YQ, Yan CL, Zeng WH, Chen YJ, Zhang JL, Liu H, Zhang QM, Zhu SD. Can leaf drought tolerance predict species abundance and its changes in tropical-subtropical forests? TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 43:1319-1325. [PMID: 37154549 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Climate change has resulted in an increase in drought severity in the species-rich tropical and subtropical forests of southern China. Exploring the spatiotemporal relationship between drought-tolerance trait and tree abundance provides a means to elucidate the impact of droughts on community assembly and dynamics. In this study, we measured the leaf turgor loss point (πtlp) for 399 tree species from three tropical forest plots and three subtropical forest plots. The plot area was 1 ha and tree abundance was calculated as total basal area per hectare according to the nearest community census data. The first aim of this study was to explore πtlp abundance relationships in the six plots across a range of precipitation seasonality. Additionally, three of the six plots (two tropical forests and one subtropical forest) had consecutive community censuses data (12-22 years) and the mortality ratios and abundance year slope of tree species were analyzed. The second aim was to examine whether πtlp is a predictor of tree mortality and abundance changes. Our results showed that tree species with lower (more negative) πtlp were more abundant in the tropical forests with relative high seasonality. However, πtlp was not related to tree abundance in the subtropical forests with low seasonality. Moreover, πtlp was not a good predictor of tree mortality and abundance changes in both humid and dry forests. This study reveals the restricted role of πtlp in predicting the response of forests to increasing droughts under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Qing Song
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Yong-Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Chao-Long Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Wen-Hao Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Ya-Jun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Jiao-Lin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, Guangdong, China
| | - Qian-Mei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, Guangdong, China
- Dinghushan Forest Ecosystem Research Station, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhaoqing 526070, Guangdong, China
| | - Shi-Dan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China
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