How do plant morphological characteristics, species composition and richness regulate eco-hydrological function?

Experimental data on the adsorption of water by branches and leaves as affected by different the morphological characteristics of plants

We determined 116 globally important woody tree species, classified them based on the differences between plant life-forms, leaf textures and trichomes on leaves and measured the indices of some plant morphological traits in the Guizhou karstic regions of China. The water adsorbed on the upper surfaces of branches and leaves and the water adsorbed on the upper and lower surfaces of branches and leaves (WW_u and WW_ul) of these species was measured. The ratios of the weight of adsorbed water on the upper surfaces of branches and leaves to the weight of branches and leaves (RWW_u) and the ratios of the weight of adsorbed water on the upper and lower surfaces of branches and leaves to the weight of branches and leaves (RWW_ul) were calculated. The adsorption of water and morphological trait indices follow the approximately normal distributions. The weight of branches and leaves (weight), total leaf area (TLA) and mean leaf area (MLA) significantly impacted the adsorption of water by branches and leaves. The different rates of the adsorption of water for 116 tree species can explain the interspecific variation in rainfall interception. Interpretation of these data is provided in Effects of the morphological characteristics of plants on rainfall interception and kinetic energy[J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2020: 125807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125807.

Experimental data on the adsorption of water by branches and leaves as affected by different the morphological characteristics of plants

We determined 116 globally important woody tree species, classified them based on the differences between plant life-forms, leaf textures and trichomes on leaves and measured the indices of some plant morphological traits in the Guizhou karstic regions of China. The water adsorbed on the upper surfaces of branches and leaves and the water adsorbed on the upper and lower surfaces of branches and leaves (WW_u and WW_ul) of these species was measured. The ratios of the weight of adsorbed water on the upper surfaces of branches and leaves to the weight of branches and leaves (RWW_u) and the ratios of the weight of adsorbed water on the upper and lower surfaces of branches and leaves to the weight of branches and leaves (RWW_ul) were calculated. The adsorption of water and morphological trait indices follow the approximately normal distributions. The weight of branches and leaves (weight), total leaf area (TLA) and mean leaf area (MLA) significantly impacted the adsorption of water by branches and leaves. The different rates of the adsorption of water for 116 tree species can explain the interspecific variation in rainfall interception. Interpretation of these data is provided in Effects of the morphological characteristics of plants on rainfall interception and kinetic energy[J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2020: 125807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125807.

Effect of Plant Morphological Traits on Throughfall, Soil Moisture, and Runoff

Plant canopy morphology plays an important role in water balance, peculiarly in semiarid environments. Through a field experiment, the impact of plant morphology of two native plant species, Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb (ASL) and Spiraea pubescens Turcz (SPT), on partitioning rainwater was revealed. The results indicated that a fragmented leaf shape and apparently high stem density of ASL reduced the throughfall and its intensity effectively but facilitated soil moisture replenishment. Although SPT has a greater canopy cover and canopy depth than ASL does, larger throughfall, a smaller throughfall threshold, and stronger throughfall intensity were observed in the SPT site. Moreover, the SPT site has a higher soil steady infiltration rate, but produced more surface runoff and caused lower soil moisture content. This study highlights the importance of plant morphological traits, peculiarly leaf morphology, in partitioning rainwater in this semiarid region. We argue that plant morphological traits should be considered when selecting plant species for revegetation and assessing water balance.