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Zhang Z, Wang X, Guo S, Li Z, He M, Zhang Y, Li G, Han X, Yang G. Divergent patterns and drivers of leaf functional traits of Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus tabulaeformis plantations along a precipitation gradient in the Loess plateau, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119318. [PMID: 37857219 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119318] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Changes in precipitation patterns in arid and semi-arid regions can reshape plant functional traits and significantly affect ecosystem functions. However, the synchronous responses of leaf economical, anatomical, photosynthetic, and biochemical traits to precipitation changes and their driving factors have rarely been investigated, which hinders our understanding of plants' ecological adaptation strategies to drought tolerance in arid areas. Therefore, the leaf traits of two typical plantations (Robinia pseudoacacia, RP and Pinus tabulaeformis, PT) along the precipitation gradient in the Loess Plateau, including economical, anatomical, photosynthetic, and biochemical traits, were investigated in this study. The results show that the leaf photosynthetic traits of RP and PT increase along the precipitation gradient, whereas leaf biochemical traits decrease. The anatomical traits of PT decrease with increasing precipitation, whereas no significant variation was observed for RP. Random Forest analysis show that LNC, LDMC, Chl, and PRO are leaf traits that significantly vary with the precipitation gradient in both plantations. Correlation analysis reveals that the traits coordination of RP is better than that of PT. The LMG model was used to determine driving factors. The results suggest that MAP explains the variation of PT leaf traits better (30.38%-36.78%), whereas SCH and SPH contribute more to the variation of RP leaf traits (20.88%-41.76%). In addition, the piecewise Structural Equation Model shows that the climate and soil physical and chemical properties directly affect the selected leaf functional traits of RP, whereas only the soil chemical properties directly affect the selected leaf functional traits of PT. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of the ecological adaptation of plants to environmental gradients and highlight that correlations among leaf traits should be considered when predicting plant adaptation strategies under future global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjiao Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xing Wang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Shujuan Guo
- A School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, PR China.
| | - Zhenxia Li
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Mengfan He
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yunlong Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Guixing Li
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xinhui Han
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Gaihe Yang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR 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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Jin Y, Tian D, Li J, Wu Q, Pan Z, Han M, Wang Y, Zhang J, Han G. Water causes divergent responses of specific carbon sink to long-term grazing in a desert grassland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 873:162166. [PMID: 36801405 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162166] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Heavy grazing generally reduces grassland biomass, further decreasing its carbon sink. Grassland carbon sink is determined by both plant biomass and carbon sink per unit biomass (specific carbon sink). This specific carbon sink could reflect grassland adaptative response, because plants generally tend to adaptively enhance the functioning of their remaining biomass after grazing (i.e. higher leaf nitrogen content). Though we know well about the regulation of grassland biomass on carbon sink, little attention is paid to the role of specific carbon sink. Thus, we conducted a 14-year grazing experiment in a desert grassland. Ecosystem carbon fluxes, including net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and ecosystem respiration (ER), were measured frequently during five consecutive growing seasons with contrasting precipitation events. We found that heavy grazing reduced NEE more in drier (-94.0 %) than wetter (-33.9 %) years. However, grazing did not reduce community biomass much more in drier (-70.4 %) than wetter years (-66.0 %). These meant a positive response of specific NEE (NEE per unit biomass) to grazing in wetter years. This positive response of specific NEE was mainly caused by a higher biomass ratio of other species versus perennial grasses with greater leaf nitrogen content and specific leaf area in wetter years. In addition, we also detected a shift of grazing effects on specific NEE from positive in wetter years to negative in drier years. Overall, this study is among the first to reveal the adaptive response of grassland specific carbon sink to experimental grazing in plant trait view. The stimulation response of specific carbon sink can partially compensate for the loss of grassland carbon storage under grazing. These new findings highlight the role of grassland adaptive response in decelerating climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Jin
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Dashuan Tian
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Jiangwen Li
- College of Life Sciences, Yan' an University, Yan' an 716000, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Zhanlei Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mengqi Han
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Yuehua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- College of Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Guodong Han
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China.
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Gremer JR. Looking to the past to understand the future: linking evolutionary modes of response with functional and life history traits in variable environments. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:751-757. [PMID: 36349401 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18605] [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: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In a variable world, plants must have strategies to deal with environmental conditions as they change. Understanding these strategies is critical since climate change not only affects mean conditions but also affects variability and predictability of those conditions. Doing so requires identifying how functional and life history traits interact throughout the life cycle to drive responses, as well as exploring how past variability will shape future responses. Here, I highlight relevant life history theory for predicting strategies in relation to the nature of environmental variability, relate theory to empirical studies integrating functional and life history traits to understand responses, and identify key areas for future research that will facilitate the application of this understanding toward predicting responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Gremer
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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5
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Callaghan CT, Palacio FX, Benedetti Y, Morelli F, Bowler DE. Large-scale spatial variability in urban tolerance of birds. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:403-416. [PMID: 36477754 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Quantifying intraspecific and interspecific trait variability is critical to our understanding of biogeography, ecology and conservation. But quantifying such variability and understanding the importance of intraspecific and interspecific variability remain challenging. This is especially true of large geographic scales as this is where the differences between intraspecific and interspecific variability are likely to be greatest. Our goal is to address this research gap using broad-scale citizen science data to quantify intraspecific variability and compare it with interspecific variability, using the example of bird responses to urbanization across the continental United States. Using more than 100 million observations, we quantified urban tolerance for 338 species within randomly sampled spatial regions and then calculated the standard deviation of each species' urban tolerance. We found that species' spatial variability in urban tolerance (i.e. standard deviation) was largely explained by the variability of urban cover throughout a species' range (R2 = 0.70). Variability in urban tolerance was greater in species that were more tolerant of urban cover (i.e. the average urban tolerance throughout their range), suggesting that generalist life histories are better suited to adapt to novel anthropogenic environments. Overall, species differences explained most of the variability in urban tolerance across spatial regions. Together, our results indicate that (1) intraspecific variability is largely predicted by local environmental variability in urban cover at a large spatial scale and (2) interspecific variability is greater than intraspecific variability, supporting the common use of mean values (i.e. collapsing observations across a species' range) when assessing species-environment relationships. Further studies, across different taxa, traits and species-environment relationships are needed to test the role of intraspecific variability, but nevertheless, we recommend that when possible, ecologists should avoid using discrete categories to classify species in how they respond to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey T Callaghan
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, Florida, USA.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle - Jena - Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle - Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Facundo X Palacio
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Yanina Benedetti
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Federico Morelli
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.,Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Diana E Bowler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle - Jena - Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Helmoholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Ecosystem Services, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Hu T, Liu WY, Wen HD, Song L, Zhang TT, Chen Q, Liu S. Vascular epiphyte populations with higher leaf nutrient concentrations showed weaker resilience to an extreme drought in a montane cloud forest. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2023; 25:215-225. [PMID: 36208062 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13474] [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: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Leaf stoichiometry can characterize plant ecological strategies and correlate with plant responses to climate change. The role of vascular epiphytes in the ecosystem processes of tropical and subtropical forest ecosystems cannot be ignored. Vascular epiphytes are very vulnerable to climate change, however, the relationship between the response of epiphytes to climate change and leaf stoichiometry is not well understood. We present data for 19 vascular epiphyte species that were collected during four consecutive censuses (in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020) over 15 years in a subtropical montane cloud forest. We assessed the relationships between the population dynamics and leaf stoichiometry of these vascular epiphytes. Experiencing an extreme drought, 14 of the 19 epiphyte species showed an obvious decrease in the number of individuals, and all species showed negative growth in the number of populations. Subsequently, the total number of individuals gradually recovered, increasing from 7,195 in 2010 to 10,121 in 2015, then to 13,667 in 2020. The increase in the number of vascular epiphyte individuals from 2010 to 2015 was significantly negatively correlated with leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentration, and was significantly positively correlated with the leaf carbon-nitrogen ratio. Vascular epiphyte populations with higher leaf nutrient concentrations exhibited weaker resilience to the extreme drought, which demonstrated that a resource-conservative strategy was advantageous for the recovery of epiphyte populations. Our findings suggest that ecological stoichiometry can be a useful framework for forecasting the dynamics of vascular epiphyte populations in response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - W Y Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, China
- Center for Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, China
| | - H D Wen
- National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Forest Ecosystem in Ailao Mountain, Yunnan, China
| | - L Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, China
- Center for Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, China
| | - T T Zhang
- Henna University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, China
| | - Q Chen
- Life Sciences Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - S Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
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7
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Asefa M, Worthy SJ, Cao M, Song X, Lozano YM, Yang J. Above- and below-ground plant traits are not consistent in response to drought and competition treatments. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 130:939-950. [PMID: 36001733 PMCID: PMC9851322 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac108] [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: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Our understanding of plant responses to biotic and abiotic drivers is largely based on above-ground plant traits, with little focus on below-ground traits despite their key role in water and nutrient uptake. Here, we aimed to understand the extent to which above- and below-ground traits are co-ordinated, and how these traits respond to soil moisture gradients and plant intraspecific competition. METHODS We chose seedlings of five tropical tree species and grew them in a greenhouse for 16 weeks under a soil moisture gradient [low (drought), medium and high (well-watered) moisture levels] with and without intraspecific competition. At harvest, we measured nine above- and five below-ground traits of all seedlings based on standard protocols. KEY RESULTS In response to the soil moisture gradient, above-ground traits are found to be consistent with the leaf economics spectrum, whereas below-ground traits are inconsistent with the root economics spectrum. We found high specific leaf area and total leaf area in well-watered conditions, while high leaf dry matter content, leaf thickness and stem dry matter content were observed in drought conditions. However, below-ground traits showed contrasting patterns, with high specific root length but low root branching index in the low water treatment. The correlations between above- and below-ground traits across the soil moisture gradient were variable, i.e. specific leaf area was positively correlated with specific root length, while it was negatively correlated with root average diameter across moisture levels. However, leaf dry matter content was unexpectedly positively correlated with both specific root length and root branching index. Intraspecific competition has influenced both above- and below-ground traits, but interacted with soil moisture to affect only below-ground traits. Consistent with functional equilibrium theory, more biomass was allocated to roots under drought conditions, and to leaves under sufficient soil moisture conditions. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that the response of below-ground traits to plant intraspecific competition and soil moisture conditions may not be inferred using above-ground traits, suggesting that multiple resource use axes are needed to understand plant ecological strategies. Lack of consistent leaf-root trait correlations across the soil moisture gradient highlight the multidimensionality of plant trait relationships which needs more exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengesha Asefa
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
- Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, 196, Ethiopia
| | - Samantha J Worthy
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Min Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
| | - Xiaoyang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
| | - Yudi M Lozano
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Plant Ecology, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jie Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
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Plant C and N Pools Improved by N Addition Levels but Not Frequencies in a Typical Grassland of Northern China. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13060851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The pools of plant community carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are important sources of soil organic matter in terrestrial ecosystems and directly affect soil C and N cycling. A large amount of studies were manipulated with multiple N levels on soil C and N pools. However, how and whether the frequency of N addition can affect the plant C and N pools is still unclear. In order to comprehensively understand the N addition effects (including frequencies and levels) on C and N pools of the plant community, we executed a randomized complete block experiment with the addition of five levels of N, including 0, 2, 10, 20 and 50 g N m−2 yr−1 (designated as N-0, N-2, N-10, N-20 and N-50) and two N addition frequencies (twice a year vs. monthly, F2, F12) in August of 2008. After 5 years of treatment, the physical-chemical properties of the plants and soil were measured in 2013. The results indicated that with increasing N addition levels, the C and N pools of the plant community significantly increased, while N addition frequency had no significant effects. Moreover, significant interactions between N addition levels and the frequencies on the C and N pools of the plant community were also found in this typical grassland. Under different frequencies of N addition treatment, the plant community C and N pools showed different response patterns along with N addition levels in plants aboveground and belowground, respectively. Under different frequencies of N addition, the changes in the C and N pools of the plant community caused by N addition were regulated by different environmental factors. We highlight that long-term N deposition could affect the plant community C and N pools and would influence C and N cycling of terrestrial ecosystems based on global climate change in the future.
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Rubio‐Ríos J, Pérez J, Salinas MJ, Fenoy E, Boyero L, Casas JJ. Climate‐induced plasticity in leaf traits of riparian plants. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Rubio‐Ríos
- Department of Biology and Geology University of Almeria (UAL) Almería Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change CAESCG Almería Spain
| | - Javier Pérez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Leioa Spain
| | - María J. Salinas
- Department of Biology and Geology University of Almeria (UAL) Almería Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change CAESCG Almería Spain
| | - Encarnación Fenoy
- Department of Biology and Geology University of Almeria (UAL) Almería Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change CAESCG Almería Spain
| | - Luz Boyero
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Leioa Spain
| | - José Jesús Casas
- Department of Biology and Geology University of Almeria (UAL) Almería Spain
- Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change CAESCG Almería Spain
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10
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Tang L, Morris WK, Zhang M, Shi F, Vesk PA. Exploring how functional traits modulate species distributions along topographic gradients in Baxian Mountain, North China. Sci Rep 2022; 12:994. [PMID: 35046442 PMCID: PMC8770611 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04210-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The associations between functional traits and species distributions across environments have attracted increasing interest from ecologists and can enhance knowledge about how plants respond to the environments. Here, we applied a hierarchical generalized linear model to quantifying the role of functional traits in plant occurrence across topographic gradients. Functional trait data, including specific leaf area, maximum height, seed mass and stem wood density, together with elevation, aspect and slope, were used in the model. In our results, species responses to elevation and aspect were modulated by maximum height and seed mass. Generally, shorter tree species showed positive responses to incremental elevation, while this trend became negative as the maximum height exceeded 22 m. Most trees with heavy seeds (> 1 mg) preferred more southerly aspects where the soil was drier, and those light-seed trees were opposite. In this study, the roles of maximum height and seed mass in determining species distribution along elevation and aspect gradients were highlighted where plants are confronted with low-temperature and soil moisture deficit conditions. This work contributes to the understanding of how traits may be associated with species occurrence along mesoscale environmental gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Tang
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - William K Morris
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mei Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fuchen Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Peter A Vesk
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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Wang C, Brunner I, Wang J, Guo W, Geng Z, Yang X, Chen Z, Han S, Li MH. The Right-Skewed Distribution of Fine-Root Size in Three Temperate Forests in Northeastern China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 12:772463. [PMID: 35069627 PMCID: PMC8777189 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.772463] [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: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Trees can build fine-root systems with high variation in root size (e.g., fine-root diameter) and root number (e.g., branching pattern) to optimize belowground resource acquisition in forest ecosystems. Compared with leaves, which are visible above ground, information about the distribution and inequality of fine-root size and about key associations between fine-root size and number is still limited. We collected 27,573 first-order fine-roots growing out of 3,848 second-order fine-roots, covering 51 tree species in three temperate forests (Changbai Mountain, CBS; Xianrendong, XRD; and Maoershan, MES) in Northeastern China. We investigated the distribution and inequality of fine-root length, diameter and area (fine-root size), and their trade-off with fine-root branching intensity and ratio (fine-root number). Our results showed a strong right-skewed distribution in first-order fine-root size across various tree species. Unimodal frequency distributions were observed in all three of the sampled forests for first-order fine-root length and area and in CBS and XRD for first-order fine-root diameter, whereas a marked bimodal frequency distribution of first-order fine-root diameter appeared in MES. Moreover, XRD had the highest and MES had the lowest inequality values (Gini coefficients) in first-order fine-root diameter. First-order fine-root size showed a consistently linear decline with increasing root number. Our findings suggest a common right-skewed distribution with unimodality or bimodality of fine-root size and a generalized trade-off between fine-root size and number across the temperate tree species. Our results will greatly improve our thorough understanding of the belowground resource acquisition strategies of temperate trees and forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cunguo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Ivano Brunner
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Junni Wang
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Guo
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhenzhen Geng
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiuyun Yang
- College of Forestry, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Zhijie Chen
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Shijie Han
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Mai-He Li
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Cheng H, Gong Y, Zuo X. Precipitation Variability Affects Aboveground Biomass Directly and Indirectly via Plant Functional Traits in the Desert Steppe of Inner Mongolia, Northern China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:674527. [PMID: 34456934 PMCID: PMC8385370 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.674527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Clarifying the response of community and dominance species to climate change is crucial for disentangling the mechanism of the ecosystem evolution and predicting the prospective dynamics of communities under the global climate scenario. We examined how precipitation changes affect community structure and aboveground biomass (AGB) according to manipulated precipitation experiments in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. Bayesian model and structural equation models (SEM) were used to test variation and causal relationship among precipitation, plant diversity, functional attributes, and AGB. The results showed that the responses of species richness, evenness, and plant community weighted means traits to precipitation changes in amount and year were significant. The SEM demonstrated that precipitation change in amount and year has a direct effect on richness, evenness, and community-weighted mean (CWM) for height, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf nitrogen content (LNC), and leaf carbon content (LCC) and AGB; there into CWM for height and LDMC had a direct positive effect on AGB; LA had a direct negative effect on AGB. Three dominant species showed diverse adaptation and resource utilization strategies in response to precipitation changes. A. polyrhizum showed an increase in height under the precipitation treatments that promoted AGB, whereas the AGB of P. harmala and S. glareosa was boosted through alterations in height and LA. Our results highlight the asynchronism of variation in community composition and structure, leaf functional traits in precipitation-AGB relationship. We proposed that altered AGB resulted from the direct and indirect effects of plant functional traits (plant height, LA, LDMC) rather than species diversity, plant functional traits are likely candidate traits, given that they are mechanistically linked to precipitation changes and affected aboveground biomass in a desert steppe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Cheng
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Yuanbo Gong
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, China
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Li X, Zhang Z, Guo F, Duan J, Sun J. Shoot-Root Interplay Mediates Defoliation-Induced Plant Legacy Effect. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:684503. [PMID: 34421941 PMCID: PMC8374956 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.684503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Shoot defoliation by grazers or mowing can affect root traits of grassland species, which may subsequently affect its aboveground traits and ecosystem functioning (e.g., aboveground primary production). However, experimental evidence for such reciprocal feedback between shoots and roots is limited. We grew the perennial grass Leymus chinensis-common across the eastern Eurasian steppe-as model species in a controlled-hydroponics experiment, and then removed half of its shoots, half of its roots, or a combination of both. We measured a range of plant aboveground and belowground traits (e.g., phenotypic characteristics, photosynthetic traits, root architecture) in response to the shoot and/or root removal treatments. We found the regenerated biomass was less than the lost biomass under both shoot defoliation and root severance, generating a under-compensatory growth. Root biomass was reduced by 60.11% in the defoliation treatment, while root severance indirectly reduced shoot biomass by 40.49%, indicating a feedback loop between shoot and root growth. This defoliation-induced shoot-root feedback was mediated by the disproportionate response and allometry of plant traits. Further, the effect of shoot defoliation and root severance on trait plasticity of L. chinensis was sub-additive. That is, the combined effects of the two treatments were less than the sum of their independent effects, resulting in a buffering effect on the existing negative influences on plant persistence by increased photosynthesis. Our results highlight the key role of trait plasticity in driving shoot-root reciprocal feedbacks and growth persistence in grassland plants, especially perennial species. This knowledge adds to earlier findings of legacy effects and can be used to determine the resilience of grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiliang Li
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
- College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Fenghui Guo
- College of Grassland Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Junjie Duan
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Juan Sun
- College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
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