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Joshi RK, Gupta R, Mishra A, Garkoti SC. Seasonal variations of leaf ecophysiological traits and strategies of co-occurring evergreen and deciduous trees in white oak forest in the central Himalaya. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:634. [PMID: 38900402 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12771-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The present study investigates the seasonal variations in leaf ecophysiological traits and strategies employed by co-occurring evergreen and deciduous tree species within a white oak forest (Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus) ecosystem in the central Himalaya. Seasonal variations in physiological, morphological, and chemical traits were observed from leaf initiation until senescence in co-occurring deciduous and evergreen tree species. We compared various parameters, including net photosynthetic capacity (Aarea and Amass), leaf stomatal conductance (gswarea and gswmass), transpiration rate (Earea and Emass), specific leaf area (SLA), mid-day water potential (Ψmd), leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentration, leaf total chlorophyll concentration, photosynthetic nitrogen- and phosphorus-use efficiency (PNUE and PPUE), and water use efficiency (WUE) across four evergreen and four deciduous tree species. Our findings reveal that evergreen and deciduous trees exhibit divergent strategies in coping with seasonal changes, which are crucial for their survival and growth. Deciduous trees consistently exhibited significantly higher photosynthetic rates, transpiration rates, mass-based N and P concentrations (Nmass and Pmass), mass-based chlorophyll concentration (Chlmass), SLA, and leaf Ψmd, while maintaining lower leaf structural investments throughout the year compared to evergreen trees. These findings indicate that deciduous trees achieve greater assimilation rates per unit mass and higher nutrient-use efficiency. Physiological, morphological, and leaf N and P concentrations were higher in the summer (fully expanded leaf) than in the fall (senesced leaf). These insights provide valuable contributions to our understanding of tree species coexistence and their ecological roles in temperate forest ecosystems, with implications for forest management and conservation in the Himalayan region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Kr Joshi
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Rajman Gupta
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Ambuj Mishra
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Satish Chandra Garkoti
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
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2
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Xu S, Su H, Ren S, Hou J, Zhu Y. Functional traits and habitat heterogeneity explain tree growth in a warm temperate forest. Oecologia 2023; 203:371-381. [PMID: 37910255 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05471-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
To explore how traits determine demographic performance is an important goal of plant community ecology in explaining the assembly and dynamics of ecological communities. However, whether the prediction of individual-level trait data is more precise compared to species average trait data is questioned. Here, we analyzed the growth and trait data for 11 species collected from October 2018 to October 2020 in a temperate forest, Donglingshan, Beijing. To quantify the relationships between traits and growth rate, we conducted linear regression models at both the species and individual levels, as well as developed structural equation models at both levels. We found there was a clear difference in growth between the warm and cold seasons, with tree growth mainly concentrated in the warm season. Growth rate was positively correlated with the specific leaf area, while negatively correlated with leaf thickness and wood density without considering environmental information. Adding important contextual information in the analysis of species-level structural equation modeling, growth rates were positively correlated with specific leaf area and leaf thickness. However, in the individual-level, there was a negative correlation between growth rate and wood density. Our study showed that individual-level trait data have better predictions for individual growth than species-level data. When we use multiple traits and establish links between traits and tree size, we generated strong predictive relationships between traits and growth rates. Furthermore, our study highlighted that the importance of incorporating topographical factors and considering different seasons to assess the relationship between tree growth and functional traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaiwei Xu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Hongxin Su
- Key Laboratory of Environment Change and Resources Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Nanning Normal University, Nanning, 530001, China
| | - Siyuan Ren
- China Aero Geophysical Survey & Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jihua Hou
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
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Zhao C, Lin Q, Tian D, Ji C, Shen H, Fan D, Wang X, Fang J. Nitrogen addition promotes conservative resource-use strategies via aggravating phosphorus limitation of evergreen trees in subtropical forest. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 889:164047. [PMID: 37187388 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Changti Zhao
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Quanhong Lin
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Di Tian
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Chengjun Ji
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Haihua Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
| | - Dayong Fan
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Xiangping Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Jingyun Fang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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Schönauer M, Hietz P, Schuldt B, Rewald B. Root and branch hydraulic functioning and trait coordination across organs in drought-deciduous and evergreen tree species of a subtropical highland forest. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1127292. [PMID: 37377798 PMCID: PMC10291250 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1127292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Vessel traits are key in understanding trees' hydraulic efficiency, and related characteristics like growth performance and drought tolerance. While most plant hydraulic studies have focused on aboveground organs, our understanding of root hydraulic functioning and trait coordination across organs remains limited. Furthermore, studies from seasonally dry (sub-)tropical ecosystems and mountain forests are virtually lacking and uncertainties remain regarding potentially different hydraulic strategies of plants differing in leaf habit. Here, we compared wood anatomical traits and specific hydraulic conductivities between coarse roots and small branches of five drought-deciduous and eight evergreen angiosperm tree species in a seasonally dry subtropical Afromontane forest in Ethiopia. We hypothesized that largest vessels and highest hydraulic conductivities are found in roots, with greater vessel tapering between roots and equally-sized branches in evergreen angiosperms due to their drought-tolerating strategy. We further hypothesized that the hydraulic efficiencies of root and branches cannot be predicted from wood density, but that wood densities across organs are generally related. Root-to-branch ratios of conduit diameters varied between 0.8 and 2.8, indicating considerable differences in tapering from coarse roots to small branches. While deciduous trees showed larger branch xylem vessels compared to evergreen angiosperms, root-to-branch ratios were highly variable within both leaf habit types, and evergreen species did not show a more pronounced degree of tapering. Empirically determined hydraulic conductivity and corresponding root-to-branch ratios were similar between both leaf habit types. Wood density of angiosperm roots was negatively related to hydraulic efficiency and vessel dimensions; weaker relationships were found in branches. Wood density of small branches was neither related to stem nor coarse root wood densities. We conclude that in seasonally dry subtropical forests, similar-sized coarse roots hold larger xylem vessels than small branches, but the degree of tapering from roots to branches is highly variable. Our results indicate that leaf habit does not necessarily influence the relationship between coarse root and branch hydraulic traits. However, larger conduits in branches and a low carbon investment in less dense wood may be a prerequisite for high growth rates of drought-deciduous trees during their shortened growing season. The correlation of stem and root wood densities with root hydraulic traits but not branch wood points toward large trade-offs in branch xylem towards mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Schönauer
- Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Forest Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Forest Work Science and Engineering, Department of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter Hietz
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Chair of Forest Botany, Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Technical University of Dresden, Tharandt, Germany
| | - Boris Rewald
- Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Forest Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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5
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Taghipour E, Bog M, Frootan F, Shojaei S, Rad N, Arezoumandi M, Jafari M, Salmanian AH. DNA barcoding and biomass accumulation rates of native Iranian duckweed species for biotechnological applications. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1034238. [PMID: 36523621 PMCID: PMC9744944 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1034238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Lemnaceae family (duckweed) consists of at least three recognized genera with six reported species in Iran that are distributed in wetlands. Duckweeds are the simplest and smallest flowering aquatic monocots with free-floating fronds that can reproduce asexually every 2-3 days. Duckweed could be a major source of balanced amino acids and high protein content, which is increasingly promising for biotechnological applications. For molecular classification and species identification of the collected samples, DNA barcoding was performed using two standard chloroplast markers, the spacer region between the ATP synthase subunits F and H (atpF-atpH) and the intron region of the ribosomal protein S16 (rps16). The results confirm the presence of four species belonging to the two genera Lemna and Spirodela. In addition, L. turionifera was detected for the first time in Iran. Due to the high growth rates of duckweed, measurement of biomass accumulation and doubling time are important factors in determining growth potential, especially for native species. The relative growth rates (RGR), doubling times (DT), biomass accumulation, and relative weekly yields (RY) of 40 distinct duckweed clones were determined under standard cultivation conditions. The dry weight-based RGR ranged from 0.149 to more than 0.600 per day, DT from 1.12 to 9 days, and RY from 7 to 108.9 per week. All values are comparable with previous studies. RGR and RY of selected clones are higher than the growth potential for a wide range of wild plants and common crops. These data support that native duckweed has high productivity value and should be further investigated as a potentially rich protein source for alternative human food, livestock feed, and recombinant protein production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Taghipour
- National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Manuela Bog
- University of Greifswald, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Fateme Frootan
- National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sadegh Shojaei
- National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Rad
- National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Arezoumandi
- National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahyat Jafari
- National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Hatef Salmanian
- National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
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7
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de Souza BC, Carvalho ECD, Oliveira RS, de Araujo FS, de Lima ALA, Rodal MJN. Drought response strategies of deciduous and evergreen woody species in a seasonally dry neotropical forest. Oecologia 2020; 194:221-236. [PMID: 32965523 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04760-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Deciduous and evergreen trees are usually considered the main coexisting functional groups in seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF). We compared leaf and stem traits of 22 woody species in the Brazilian Caatinga to investigate whether deciduous (DC) and evergreen (EV) species have divergent water-use strategies. Our hypothesis was that DC trees compensate for their short leaf longevity by being less conservative in water use and showing higher variation in the seasonal water potential after leaf shedding. Evergreen species should exhibit a highly conservative water use strategy, which reduces variations in seasonal water potential and the negative effects of desiccation. Our leaf dynamics results indicate that the crown area of DC trees is more sensitive to air and soil drought, whereas EV trees are only sensitive to soil drought. Deciduous species exhibit differences in a set of leaf traits confirming their acquisitive strategy, which contrasts with evergreen species. However, when stomatal traits are considered, we found that DC and EV have similar stomatal regulation strategies (partially isohydric). We also found divergent physiological strategies within DC. For high wood density DC, the xylem water potential (Ψxylem) continued to drop during the dry season. We also found a negative linear relationship between leaf life span (LL) and the transpiration rate per unit of hydraulic conductivity (Λ), indicating that species with high LL are less vulnerable to hydraulic conductivity loss than early-deciduous species. Collectively, our results indicate divergence in the physiology of deciduous species, which suggests that categorizing species based solely on their leaf phenology may be an oversimplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Cruz de Souza
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Natural Resources, Science Center, Department of Biology, Federal University of Ceará - UFC, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Brazil.
| | - Ellen Cristina Dantas Carvalho
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Natural Resources, Science Center, Department of Biology, Federal University of Ceará - UFC, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Brazil
| | - Rafael S Oliveira
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, 13083-970, Brazil.
| | | | - André Luiz Alves de Lima
- Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Campus of Serra Talhada, Serra Talhada, 56909-535, Brazil
| | - Maria Jesus Nogueira Rodal
- Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Botany Sector, Recife, 52171-900, Brazil.
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Liao J, Cai Z, Song H, Zhang S. Poplar males and willow females exhibit superior adaptation to nocturnal warming than the opposite sex. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 717:137179. [PMID: 32062275 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The Salicaceae family consists of dioecious woody plants. Morphological and physiological species-related, sex-specific responses to nocturnal warming in these plants are seldom-reported. In order to explore the different responses of sex-biased species to nighttime warming, males and females of Populus cathayana and Salix paraplesia were used in this study. After 60 days of nighttime warming (+4 °C ambient nighttime conditions) in growth chambers, nighttime warming significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased height growth rate, leaf proline content, leaf soluble protein content, and root soluble sugar content, while decreased biomass accumulation, photosynthesis, specific leaf area, and ATP levels in both species. Also, nighttime warming resulted in distorted chloroplasts and a greater starch accumulation in P. cathayana and S. paraplesia leaves. Moreover, sex-specific, nighttime warming responses were different, where P. cathayana males and S. paraplesia females exhibited lower aboveground to root mass ratios and higher root dry mass, net photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance, total chlorophyll contents, specific leaf area, and lower foliar ATP, and less damage to mesophyll cells compared to the opposite sex. Therefore, P. cathayana males and S. paraplesia females exhibit superior adaptability to nighttime temperatures by enlarging their root systems, accumulating more carbohydrates, and adjusting osmotic substances to support their growth processes. Based on these results, it is predicted that P. cathayana males and S. paraplesia females will outperform the opposite sex under ongoing, rising nighttime temperatures in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liao
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Zeyu Cai
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Haifeng Song
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
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Trait Gradient Analysis for Evergreen and Deciduous Species in a Subtropical Forest. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11040364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Leaf habits (e.g., evergreen or deciduous) can reflect strategies of species adapting to varied environmental conditions. However, how species with different leaf habits coexist within a plant community is still poorly understood. Trait gradient analysis is a new approach to partition plant functional trait variations into alpha (within-community) and beta (among-community) components to quantify the effects of environmental filtering and biotic competition on community assembly. Here, on the basis of establishing forty-eight forest dynamic plots in a subtropical evergreen and deciduous broadleaved mixed forest in central China and measuring of seven functional traits, we compared the trait variation patterns and influencing factors of evergreen and deciduous species by using the trait gradient analysis method. The results showed that there were significant differences between functional traits for evergreen and deciduous species. Alpha trait components consistently varied more widely than beta components. The correlation between species trait mean and the alpha of each trait was highly significant, but there was no significant correlation between beta and alpha trait values. There were relatively weak or nonexistent significant correlations among species mean trait values and alpha trait values of different functional traits. However, the beta trait value showed high and significant correlations in both evergreen and deciduous species. Our results indicated that evergreen and deciduous species adopt similar adaptation strategies (beta component) in the context of environmental change in the community. However, the species initially came to coexist via the ecological positioning of traits (alpha component), which helped reduce competition so individuals could obtain more resources.
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10
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Armani M, Goodale UM, Charles‐Dominique T, Barton KE, Yao X, Tomlinson KW. Structural defence is coupled with the leaf economic spectrum across saplings of spiny species. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Armani
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences Menglun, Mengla CN‐666303 Yunnan PR China
- Univ. of Chinese Academy of Science Beijing PR China
| | - Uromi M. Goodale
- Regeneration Ecology, Seed Bio‐physiology and Conservation Laboratory, Plant Ecophysiology and Evolution Group, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi Univ. Nanning Guangxi PR China
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Guangxi Univ. Nanning Guangxi PR China
| | - Tristan Charles‐Dominique
- Dominique, Inst. of Ecology and Environmental Sciences – Paris, CNRS UMR 7618, Sorbonne Univ. Paris France
| | | | - Xin Yao
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences Menglun, Mengla CN‐666303 Yunnan PR China
| | - Kyle W. Tomlinson
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences Menglun, Mengla CN‐666303 Yunnan PR China
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11
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Conesa MÀ, Mus M, Galmés J. Leaf size as a key determinant of contrasting growth patterns in closely related Limonium (Plumbaginaceae) species. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 240:152984. [PMID: 31207461 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the importance of leaf size on plant growth capacity among an array of closely related Limonium species, and its impact on the underlying determinants of growth reduction under extreme water deficit conditions. To do so, thirteen Balearic Limonium species with contrasting leaf size were grown under long-term well-watered (WW) and severe water-deficit (WD) conditions in a common garden experiment. Fundamental growth traits were measured, including relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), leaf area ratio (LAR), leaf mass area (LMA) and leaf mass ratio (LMR). WD promoted small changes in leaf size, and species with larger leaves had higher RGR than species with smaller leaves, irrespective of the water treatment. Most RGR variation across species and treatments was explained by NAR, with comparatively much lower importance of LAR. The factorization of LAR underlying components denoted the importance of LMA in explaining RGR, whereas the impact of LMR on RGR was negligible in Limonium. Further, species with larger leaves had higher water consumption but also higher water use efficiency, especially under WD. Therefore, contrary to general trends in species from dry environments, increased leaf size is linked to increased growth capacity and also increased water use efficiency across closely related Limonium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel À Conesa
- Grup de Recerca en Biologia de les Plantes en Condicions Mediterrànies, Departament de Biologia - INAGEA, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Carretera de Valldemossa km 7.5, E-07122, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain.
| | - Maurici Mus
- Grup de Recerca en Biologia de les Plantes en Condicions Mediterrànies, Departament de Biologia - INAGEA, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Carretera de Valldemossa km 7.5, E-07122, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Jeroni Galmés
- Grup de Recerca en Biologia de les Plantes en Condicions Mediterrànies, Departament de Biologia - INAGEA, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Carretera de Valldemossa km 7.5, E-07122, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
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12
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Carbon Isotopes of Riparian Forests Trees in the Savannas of the Volta Sub-Basin of Ghana Reveal Contrasting Responses to Climatic and Environmental Variations. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10030251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Stable isotopes of tree rings are frequently used as proxies in climate change studies. However, species-specific relationships between climate and tree-ring stable isotopes have not yet been studied in riparian forests in the savannas of West Africa. Four cross-dated discs, each of Afzelia africana Sm. (evergreen) and Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC.) Guill. & Perr. (deciduous) in the humid (HSZ) and dry (DSZ) savanna zones of the Volta basin in Ghana were selected from a larger tree-ring dataset to assess the relationships between the tree-ring carbon isotope composition (δ13C values) and climatic parameters. The atmospherically corrected δ13C values of both studied species showed that A. africana was enriched in 13C compared to A. leiocarpus. Strong correlations were found between δ13C values of A. africana and A. leiocarpus with temperature, but weak correlations with precipitation. Spatial correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between δ13C values of both tree species and Sea Surface Temperatures in the Gulf of Guinea in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The results suggest that the carbon isotope composition of riparian trees in the Volta river basin has a potential to reconstruct climate variability and to assess tree ecological responses to climate change.
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Xiong G, Zhang A, Fan D, Ge J, Yang D, Xie Z, Zhang W. Functional coordination between leaf traits and biomass allocation and growth of four herbaceous species in a newly established reservoir riparian ecosystem in China. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11372-11384. [PMID: 30598742 PMCID: PMC6303726 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The flood-dry-flood cycle in the reservoir riparian zone (RRZ) of the Three Gorges Dam has dramatically altered the riparian ecosystem structure and composition. Previous field studies have shown that leaf traits varied greatly and were restricted to the lower-investment and faster-return end of the global leaf spectrum, which are typical characteristics of fast-growing species. However, it is unclear as to the mechanism underpinning the growth potential of these species and how it will respond to soil nutrient availability and temperature. Here, we linked the plant functional traits of four representative dominant C4 herbaceous species (Setaria viridis, Echinochloa crusgalli, Cynodon dactylon and Hemarthria altissima) to their relative growth rates (RGR) under ambient and elevated temperatures, with different nitrogen and phosphorus levels, to explore the potential mechanism of species growth in the newly established reservoir riparian ecosystem in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China. We grew seedlings of these species in four open-top chambers, with three levels of nutrient supplies under two temperature gradients (ambient temperature and an elevated temperature of 4°C). We found that the responses of the RGR and plant traits to soil N and P supply levels and temperature varied considerably among studied species. E. crusgalli displayed the lowest RGR associated with relatively low specific leaf area (SLA), leaf nitrogen content (LN), stem mass ratio (SMR), and high leaf mass ratio (LMR) and was less affected by soil N and P supply levels and temperature. C. dactylon and H. altissima showed the highest RGR compared to the other two species grown at the substrate of N = 0.4 mg/g, P = 0.2 mg/g at ambient air temperature, associated with a relatively high SMR, low LMR and low plant carbon content (PCC). However, the RGR advantage of the two species was diminished at elevated temperatures, while S. viridis showed the highest RGR compared to the other species. Across all datasets, the RGR had no association with the leaf area ratio (LAR) and SLA. The RGR also showed no significant relationships with the LN and leaf phosphorus content (LP). On the other hand, the RGR was captured adequately by the SMR, which can therefore be considered as a powerful functional marker of species' functioning in this newly established reservoir riparian ecosystem. Our study provides some insight into the underlying mechanisms of species growth in reservoir riparian ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoming Xiong
- The Key Laboratory of Oasis Eco‐agricultureXinjiang Production and Construction CorpsShihezi UniversityShiheziChina
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangeInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesXiangshan, BeijingChina
| | - Aiying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangeInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesXiangshan, BeijingChina
| | - Dayong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangeInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesXiangshan, BeijingChina
| | - Jielin Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangeInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesXiangshan, BeijingChina
| | - Dan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangeInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesXiangshan, BeijingChina
| | - Zongqiang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangeInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesXiangshan, BeijingChina
| | - Wangfeng Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Oasis Eco‐agricultureXinjiang Production and Construction CorpsShihezi UniversityShiheziChina
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14
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Jin Y, Li J, Liu C, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Sha L, Wang Z, Song Q, Lin Y, Zhou R, Chen A, Li P, Fei X, Grace J. Carbohydrate dynamics of three dominant species in a Chinese savanna under precipitation exclusion. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 38:1371-1383. [PMID: 29474710 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The potential impact of drought on the carbon balance in plants has gained great attention. Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) dynamics have been suggested as an important trait reflecting carbon balance under drought conditions. However, NSC dynamics under drought and the response mechanisms of NSC to drought remain unclear, especially in water-limited savanna ecosystems. A precipitation exclusion experiment was performed to simulate different drought intensities in a savanna ecosystem in Yuanjiang valley in southwestern China. Growth, total NSC concentration and diurnal change of NSC were determined for the leaves and non-photosynthetic organs of three dominant species (Lannea coromandelica, Polyalthia cerasoides and Heteropogon contortus) throughout the growing season. Drought significantly reduced the growth of all the three species. Total NSC concentration averaged ~8.1%, varying with species, organ and sampling period, and did not significantly decrease under drought stress. By contrast, the diurnal change of NSC in these three species increased under drought stress. These results indicate that these three dominant species did not undergo carbon limitation. Thus, relative change in NSC is a more sensitive and effective indicator than carbon reserves in evaluation of plant carbon balance. These findings provide new insights for the understanding of carbon balance and the mechanisms of carbon starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqiang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenggang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
| | - Yuntong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
| | - Yiping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
| | - Liqing Sha
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinghai Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
| | - Youxing Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiwu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Aiguo Chen
- Yuanjiang Savanna Ecosystem Research Station, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuanjiang, China
| | - Peiguang Li
- Yellow River Delta Ecological Research Station of Coastal Wetland, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China
| | - Xuehai Fei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - John Grace
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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15
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Response of Land Surface Phenology to Variation in Tree Cover during Green-Up and Senescence Periods in the Semi-Arid Savanna of Southern Africa. REMOTE SENSING 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/rs9070689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Martínez-Vilalta J, Sala A, Asensio D, Galiano L, Hoch G, Palacio S, Piper FI, Lloret F. Dynamics of non-structural carbohydrates in terrestrial plants: a global synthesis. ECOL MONOGR 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 319] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Martínez-Vilalta
- CREAF; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
- Universitat Autònoma Barcelona; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
| | - Anna Sala
- Division of Biological Sciences; University of Montana; Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | | | - Lucía Galiano
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL; CH-8903 Birmensdorf Switzerland
- Institute of Hydrology; University of Freiburg; Freiburg D-79098 Germany
| | - Günter Hoch
- Department of Environmental Sciences-Botany; University of Basel; 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Sara Palacio
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC); Avenida Nuestra Señora de la Victoria 16 22700 Jaca Spain
| | - Frida I. Piper
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP); Simpson 471 Coyhaique Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad; Las Palmeras 3425 Santiago Chile
| | - Francisco Lloret
- CREAF; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
- Universitat Autònoma Barcelona; Cerdanyola del Vallès E-08193 Barcelona Spain
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17
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Oliveras I, Malhi Y. Many shades of green: the dynamic tropical forest-savannah transition zones. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:20150308. [PMID: 27502373 PMCID: PMC4978866 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The forest-savannah transition is the most widespread ecotone in tropical areas, separating two of the most productive terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we review current understanding of the factors that shape this transition, and how it may change under various drivers of local or global change. At broadest scales, the location of the transition is shaped by water availability, mediated strongly at local scales by fire regimes, herbivory pressure and spatial variation in soil properties. The frequently dynamic nature of this transition suggests that forest and savannah can exist as alternative stable states, maintained and separated by fire-grass feedbacks and tree shade-fire suppression feedback. However, this theory is still contested and the relative contributions of the main biotic and abiotic drivers and their interactions are yet not fully understood. These drivers interplay with a wide range of ecological processes and attributes at the global, continental, regional and local scales. The evolutionary history of the biotic and abiotic drivers and processes plays an important role in the current distributions of these transitions as well as in their species composition and ecosystem functioning. This ecotone can be sensitive to shifts in climate and other driving factors, but is also potentially stabilized by negative feedback processes. There is abundant evidence that these transitions are shifting under contemporary global and local changes, but the direction of shift varies according to region. However, it still remains uncertain how these transitions will respond to rapid and multi-faceted ongoing current changes, and how increasing human influence will interact with these shifts.This article is part of the themed issue 'Tropical grassy biomes: linking ecology, human use and conservation'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
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