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He R, Shi H, Hu M, Zhou Q, Dang H, Zhang Q. Differential phenotypic plasticity of subalpine trees predicts trait integration under climate warming. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 244:1074-1085. [PMID: 39155709 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20067] [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: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Understanding limiting factors of phenotypic plasticity is essential given its critical role in shaping biological adaptation and evolution in changing environments. It has been proposed that the pattern of phenotypic correlation could constrain trait plasticity. However, the interplay between phenotypic plasticity and integration has remained contentious. We experimentally simulated climate warming in juveniles of three subalpine tree species by exposing them to three-year in situ open-top chambers (OTCs), and then measured functional plasticity of 72 eco-physiological traits to evaluate whether phenotypic integration constituted an intrinsic constraint to plasticity. We also tested the relationship between the differences in plasticity and maintenance in trait integration. Phenotypic plasticity was positively associated with integration in deciduous tree species under warming. The difference in the plasticity of two paired traits could predict their integration in different environments, where traits displaying more similar plasticity were more likely to be correlated. Our study showed no indication that phenotypic integration constrained plasticity. More importantly, we demonstrated that differential plasticity between traits might result in a notable reorganization of the trait associations, and that warming commonly induced a tighter phenotype. Our study provides new insights into the interplay between phenotypic plasticity and integration in subalpine trees under climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui He
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Hang Shi
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Man Hu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Quan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Key Laboratory of Reservoir Aquatic Environment, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Haishan Dang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Quanfa Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430074, China
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2
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Ni G, Zhao P, Hou Y, Bai X, Zhang L, Yuan J, Ouyang L, Liu F, Zhu L, Zhao X. Coordination of water use strategies and leaf economic traits in coexisting exotic and native woody species from evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forests. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:173936. [PMID: 38885703 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173936] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The leaf economics spectrum (LES) describes the covariation of traits relevant for carbon and nutrient economy in different plant species. However, much less is known about the correlation of LES with leaf water economy, not only because some woody species do not follow the rules, but also because they are rarely tested on the widespread, non-native, fast-growing trees. We hypothesized that fast-growing exotic species that spread on the fast side of the LES coordinate their water-use strategies (WUS) to maintain rapid growth, and that the pattern of coordination differs between evergreen and deciduous forests. Using 4 exotic and 4 native species from evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forests in China, we measured 17 traits of LES and WUS and analyzed their functional roles in different species groups. Our results suggest that LES plays a more important role in the coexistence of species within a community, while WUS contributes more to the distribution of species across different regions. The multidimensional coordination of LES and WUS could better explain the growth and distribution of different plant species and shed light on the coexistence of species from different forest types, especially fast-growing woody exotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyan Ni
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Ping Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuping Hou
- School of Life Sciences, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China
| | - Xinfu Bai
- School of Life Sciences, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China
| | - Luohan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China
| | - Jingjing Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lei Ouyang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fangyuan Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China
| | - Liwei Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiuhua Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China
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3
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Li J, Prentice IC. Global patterns of plant functional traits and their relationships to climate. Commun Biol 2024; 7:1136. [PMID: 39271947 PMCID: PMC11399309 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06777-3] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant functional traits (FTs) determine growth, reproduction and survival strategies of plants adapted to their growth environment. Exploring global geographic patterns of FTs, their covariation and their relationships to climate are necessary steps towards better-founded predictions of how global environmental change will affect ecosystem composition. We compile an extensive global dataset for 16 FTs and characterise trait-trait and trait-climate relationships separately within non-woody, woody deciduous and woody evergreen plant groups, using multivariate analysis and generalised additive models (GAMs). Among the six major FTs considered, two dominant trait dimensions-representing plant size and the leaf economics spectrum (LES) respectively-are identified within all three groups. Size traits (plant height, diaspore mass) however are generally higher in warmer climates, while LES traits (leaf mass and nitrogen per area) are higher in drier climates. Larger leaves are associated principally with warmer winters in woody evergreens, but with wetter climates in non-woody plants. GAM-simulated global patterns for all 16 FTs explain up to three-quarters of global trait variation. Global maps obtained by upscaling GAMs are broadly in agreement with iNaturalist citizen-science FT data. This analysis contributes to the foundations for global trait-based ecosystem modelling by demonstrating universal relationships between FTs and climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaze Li
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK.
| | - Iain Colin Prentice
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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4
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Ji F, Li F, Hao D, Shiklomanov AN, Yang X, Townsend PA, Dashti H, Nakaji T, Kovach KR, Liu H, Luo M, Chen M. Unveiling the transferability of PLSR models for leaf trait estimation: lessons from a comprehensive analysis with a novel global dataset. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:111-131. [PMID: 38708434 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19807] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Leaf traits are essential for understanding many physiological and ecological processes. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) models with leaf spectroscopy are widely applied for trait estimation, but their transferability across space, time, and plant functional types (PFTs) remains unclear. We compiled a novel dataset of paired leaf traits and spectra, with 47 393 records for > 700 species and eight PFTs at 101 globally distributed locations across multiple seasons. Using this dataset, we conducted an unprecedented comprehensive analysis to assess the transferability of PLSR models in estimating leaf traits. While PLSR models demonstrate commendable performance in predicting chlorophyll content, carotenoid, leaf water, and leaf mass per area prediction within their training data space, their efficacy diminishes when extrapolating to new contexts. Specifically, extrapolating to locations, seasons, and PFTs beyond the training data leads to reduced R2 (0.12-0.49, 0.15-0.42, and 0.25-0.56) and increased NRMSE (3.58-18.24%, 6.27-11.55%, and 7.0-33.12%) compared with nonspatial random cross-validation. The results underscore the importance of incorporating greater spectral diversity in model training to boost its transferability. These findings highlight potential errors in estimating leaf traits across large spatial domains, diverse PFTs, and time due to biased validation schemes, and provide guidance for future field sampling strategies and remote sensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fujiang Ji
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Fa Li
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Dalei Hao
- Atmospheric, Climate, & Earth Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA, 99354, USA
| | - Alexey N Shiklomanov
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Mail code: 610.1, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA
| | - Xi Yang
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, 291 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Philip A Townsend
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Hamid Dashti
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Tatsuro Nakaji
- Uryu Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai, Hokkaido, 074-0741, Japan
| | - Kyle R Kovach
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Haoran Liu
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Meng Luo
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Data Science Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 447 Lorch Ct, Madison, 53706, WI, USA
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5
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Tian D, Yan Z, Schmid B, Kattge J, Fang J, Stocker BD. Environmental versus phylogenetic controls on leaf nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations in vascular plants. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5346. [PMID: 38914561 PMCID: PMC11196693 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49665-4] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Global patterns of leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry have been interpreted as reflecting phenotypic plasticity in response to the environment, or as an overriding effect of the distribution of species growing in their biogeochemical niches. Here, we balance these contrasting views. We compile a global dataset of 36,413 paired observations of leaf N and P concentrations, taxonomy and 45 environmental covariates, covering 7,549 sites and 3,700 species, to investigate how species identity and environmental variables control variations in mass-based leaf N and P concentrations, and the N:P ratio. We find within-species variation contributes around half of the total variation, with 29%, 31%, and 22% of leaf N, P, and N:P variation, respectively, explained by environmental variables. Within-species plasticity along environmental gradients varies across species and is highest for leaf N:P and lowest for leaf N. We identified effects of environmental variables on within-species variation using random forest models, whereas effects were largely missed by widely used linear mixed-effect models. Our analysis demonstrates a substantial influence of the environment in driving plastic responses of leaf N, P, and N:P within species, which challenges reports of a fixed biogeochemical niche and the overriding importance of species distributions in shaping global patterns of leaf N and P.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
| | - Zhengbing Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Bernhard Schmid
- Department of Geography, Remote Sensing Laboratories, University of Zürich, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jens Kattge
- Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll Street 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
- iDiv - German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jingyun Fang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Benjamin D Stocker
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
- Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Falkenplatz 16, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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6
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Wang L, Dang QL. Using leaf economic spectrum and photosynthetic acclimation to evaluate the potential performance of wintersweet under future climate conditions. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2024; 176:e14318. [PMID: 38686542 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The function of landscape plants on the ecosystem can alleviate environmental issues of urbanization and global change. Global changes due to elevated CO2 affect plant growth and survival, but there is a lack of quantitative methods to evaluate the adaptability of landscape plants to future climate conditions. Leaf traits characterized by leaf economic spectrum (LES) are the universal currency for predicting the impact on plant ecosystem functions. Elevated CO2 usually leads to photosynthetic acclimation (PC), characterised by decreased photosynthetic capacity. Here, we proposed a theoretical and practical framework for the use of LES and PC to project the potential performance of landscape plants under future climatic conditions through principal component analysis, structural equation modelling, photosynthetic restriction analysis and nitrogen allocation analysis. We used wintersweet (an important landscaping species) to test the feasibility of this framework under elevated CO2 and different nitrogen (N) supplies. We found that elevated CO2 decreased the specific leaf area but increased leaf N concentration. The results suggest wintersweet may be characterized by an LES with high leaf construction costs, low photosynthetic return, and robust stress resistance. Elevated CO2 reduced photosynthetic capacity and stomatal conductance but increased photosynthetic rate and leaf area. These positive physio-ecological traits, e.g., larger leaf area (canopy), higher water use efficiency and stress resistance, may lead to improved performance of wintersweet under the predicted future climatic conditions. The results suggest planting more wintersweet in urban landscaping may be an effective adaptive strategy to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Jiyang College, Zhejiang A&F University, Zhejiang, China
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Qing-Lai Dang
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
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7
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Mueller KE, Kray JA, Blumenthal DM. Coordination of leaf, root, and seed traits shows the importance of whole plant economics in two semiarid grasslands. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:2410-2422. [PMID: 38214451 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19529] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Uncertainty persists within trait-based ecology, partly because few studies assess multiple axes of functional variation and their effect on plant performance. For 55 species from two semiarid grasslands, we quantified: (1) covariation between economic traits of leaves and absorptive roots, (2) covariation among economic traits, plant height, leaf size, and seed mass, and (3) relationships between these traits and species' abundance. Pairs of analogous leaf and root traits were at least weakly positively correlated (e.g. specific leaf area (SLA) and specific root length (SRL)). Two pairs of such traits, N content and DMC of leaves and roots, were at least moderately correlated (r > 0.5) whether species were grouped by site, taxonomic group and growth form, or life history. Root diameter was positively correlated with seed mass for all groups of species except annuals and monocots. Species with higher leaf dry matter content (LDMC) tended to be more abundant (r = 0.63). Annuals with larger seeds were more abundant (r = 0.69). Compared with global-scale syntheses with many observations from mesic ecosystems, we observed stronger correlations between analogous leaf and root traits, weaker correlations between SLA and leaf N, and stronger correlations between SRL and root N. In dry grasslands, plant persistence may require coordination of above- and belowground traits, and dense tissues may facilitate dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin E Mueller
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA
| | - Julie A Kray
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Resources & Systems Research, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Dana M Blumenthal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Resources & Systems Research, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
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8
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Famiglietti CA, Worden M, Anderegg LDL, Konings AG. Impacts of climate timescale on the stability of trait-environment relationships. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:2423-2434. [PMID: 38037289 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Predictive relationships between plant traits and environmental factors can be derived at global and regional scales, informing efforts to reorient ecological models around functional traits. However, in a changing climate, the environmental variables used as predictors in such relationships are far from stationary. This could yield errors in trait-environment model predictions if timescale is not accounted for. Here, the timescale dependence of trait-environment relationships is investigated by regressing in situ trait measurements of specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen content, and wood density on local climate characteristics summarized across several increasingly long timescales. We identify contrasting responses of leaf and wood traits to climate timescale. Leaf traits are best predicted by recent climate timescales, while wood density is a longer term memory trait. The use of sub-optimal climate timescales reduces the accuracy of the resulting trait-environment relationships. This study concludes that plant traits respond to climate conditions on the timescale of tissue lifespans rather than long-term climate normals, even at large spatial scales where multiple ecological and physiological mechanisms drive trait change. Thus, determining trait-environment relationships with temporally relevant climate variables may be critical for predicting trait change in a nonstationary climate system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew Worden
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Leander D L Anderegg
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Alexandra G Konings
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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9
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Medeiros JS, Burns JH, Dowrey C, Duong F, Speroff S. Leaf habit and plant architecture integrate whole-plant economics and contextualize trait-climate associations within ecologically diverse genus Rhododendron. AOB PLANTS 2024; 16:plae005. [PMID: 38406260 PMCID: PMC10888519 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plae005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Plant resource strategies negotiate a trade-off between fast growth and stress resistance, characterized by specific leaf area (SLA). How SLA relates to leaf structure and function or plant climate associations remains open for debate, and leaf habit and plant architecture may alter the costs versus benefits of individual traits. We used phylogenetic canonical correspondence analysis and phylogenetic least squares to understand the relationship of anatomy and gas exchange to published data on root, wood, architectural and leaf economics traits and climate. Leaf anatomy was structured by leaf habit and carbon to nitrogen ratio was a better predictor of gas exchange than SLA. We found significant correspondence of leaf anatomy with branch architecture and wood traits, gas exchange corresponded with climate, while leaf economics corresponded with climate, architecture, wood and root traits. Species from the most seasonal climates had the highest trait-climate correspondence, and different aspects of economics and anatomy reflected leaf carbon uptake versus water use. Our study using phylogenetic comparative methods including plant architecture and leaf habit provides insight into the mechanism of whole-plant functional coordination and contextualizes individual traits in relation to climate, demonstrating the evolutionary and ecological relevance of trait-trait correlations within a genus with high biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean H Burns
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106USA
| | - Callie Dowrey
- Holden Arboretum, 9500 Sperry Rd, Kirtland, OH 44094, USA
| | - Fiona Duong
- Holden Arboretum, 9500 Sperry Rd, Kirtland, OH 44094, USA
| | - Sarah Speroff
- New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110USA
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10
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Akram MA, Wang X, Shrestha N, Zhang Y, Sun Y, Yao S, Li J, Hou Q, Hu W, Ran J, Deng J. Variations and driving factors of leaf functional traits in the dominant desert plant species along an environmental gradient in the drylands of China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 897:165394. [PMID: 37437630 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165394] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Leaf functional traits (LFTs) of desert plants are responsive, adaptable and highly plastic to their environment. However, the macroscale variation in LFTs and driving factors underlying this variation remain unclear, especially for desert plants. Here, we measured eight LFTs, including leaf carbon concentration (LCC), leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC), leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf thickness (LTH) and leaf tissue density (LTD) across 114 sites along environmental gradient in the drylands of China and in Guazhou Common Garden and evaluated the effect of environment and phylogeny on the LFTs. We noted that for all species, the mean values of LCC, LNC, LPC, SLA, LDMC, LMA, LTH and LTD were 384.62 mg g-1, 19.91 mg g-1, 1.12 mg g-1, 79.62 cm2 g-1, 0.74 g g-1, 237.39 g m-2, 0.38 mm and 0.91 g cm-3, respectively. LFTs exhibited significant geographical variations and the LNC, LMA and LTH in the plants of Guazhou Common Garden were significantly higher than the field sites in the drylands of China. LDMC and LTD of plants in Guazhou Common Garden were, however, considerably lower than those in the drylands of China. LCC, LPC, LTH and LTD differed significantly among different plant lifeforms, while LNC, SLA, LDMC and LMA didn't show significant variations. We found that the environmental variables explained higher spatial variations (3.6-66.3 %) in LFTs than the phylogeny (1.8-54.2 %). The LCC significantly increased, while LDMC and LTD decreased with increased temperature and reduced precipitation. LPC, LDMC, LMA, and LTD significantly increased, while SLA and LTH decreased with increased aridity. However, leaf elements were not significantly correlated with soil nutrients. The mean annual precipitation was a key factor controlling variations in LFTs at the macroscale in the drylands of China. These findings will provide new insights to better understand the response of LFTs and plants adaptation along environmental gradient in drylands, and will serve as a reference for studying biogeographic patterns of leaf traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Adnan Akram
- School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Xiaoting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Nawal Shrestha
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yahui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuran Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jinhui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Qingqing Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Weigang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jinzhi Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jianming Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems (SKLHIGA), College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Wang X, Ji M, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Akram MA, Dong L, Hu W, Xiong J, Sun Y, Li H, Degen AA, Ran J, Deng J. Plant trait networks reveal adaptation strategies in the drylands of China. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:266. [PMID: 37202776 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04273-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plants accomplish multiple functions by the interrelationships between functional traits. Clarifying the complex relationships between plant traits would enable us to better understand how plants employ different strategies to adapt to the environment. Although increasing attention is being paid to plant traits, few studies focused on the adaptation to aridity through the relationship among multiple traits. We established plant trait networks (PTNs) to explore the interdependence of sixteen plant traits across drylands. RESULTS Our results revealed significant differences in PTNs among different plant life-forms and different levels of aridity. Trait relationships for woody plants were weaker, but were more modularized than for herbs. Woody plants were more connected in economic traits, whereas herbs were more connected in structural traits to reduce damage caused by drought. Furthermore, the correlations between traits were tighter with higher edge density in semi-arid than in arid regions, suggesting that resource sharing and trait coordination are more advantageous under low drought conditions. Importantly, our results demonstrated that stem phosphorus concentration (SPC) was a hub trait correlated with other traits across drylands. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that plants exhibited adaptations to the arid environment by adjusting trait modules through alternative strategies. PTNs provide a new insight into understanding the adaptation strategies of plants to drought stress based on the interdependence among plant functional traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Mingfei Ji
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Water Security for Water Source Region of Mid-Route Project of South-North Water Diversion of Henan Province, College of Water Resource and Environment Engineering, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Yahui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Muhammad Adnan Akram
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Longwei Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Weigang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Junlan Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Hailin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Abraham Allan Degen
- Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Beer Sheva, 8410500, Israel
| | - Jinzhi Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jianming Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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12
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Tayir M, Dai Y, Shi Q, Abdureyim A, Erkin F, Huang W. Distinct leaf functional traits of Tamarix chinensis at different habitats in the hinterland of the Taklimakan desert. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1094049. [PMID: 36756227 PMCID: PMC9900739 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1094049] [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: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Leaf functional traits reflect plant adaptive strategies towards environmental heterogeneity. However, which factor play the key role of plasticity of leaf functional traits among various variable environmental factors remains unclear in desert hinterland oasis area. Here, we analyzed variations in leaf water content (LWC), δ 13C values of leaves (δ 13C), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf organic carbon concentration (LOC), leaf total nitrogen concentration (LTN), leaf total phosphorus concentration (LTP), and leaf C: N: P stoichiometry in Tamarix chinensis growing in five habitats at the Daliyabuyi, a natural pristine oasis in northwestern China, that differ abiotically and biotically. The spatial heterogeneity of leaf functional traits was evident. Abiotic factors vitally influence leaf functional traits, of which groundwater depth (GWD) and soil C: N stoichiometry (SOC: STN) are crucial. GWD exhibited close relationships with LWC (P < 0.05) and LOC: LTP (P < 0.01), but not δ 13C. Soil water content (SWC) and SOC: STN were negatively related to SLA (P < 0.01; P < 0.05). While, SOC: STN showed positive relationships with LOC: LTN (P < 0.05). As for biological factors, we found T. chinensis in habitat with Sophora alopecuroidies had the highest LTN, possibly as a result of N fixation of leguminous plants (S. alopecuroidies) promotes the N concentration of T. chinensis. Close relationships also existed between leaf functional traits, LWC showed significantly negatively relatd to δ 13C, LOC: LTN and LOC: LTP (P < 0.05), whereas δ 13C had positively correlated with LOC: LTN (P < 0.01) but negatively correlated with LTN (P < 0.05). T. chinensis had relative higher LWC couple with lower δ 13C, and exhibiting lower C, N, P in leaves and their stoichiometric ratios, and also lower SLA which compared with other terrestrial plant. Such coordinations suggesting that T. chinensis develops a suite of trait combinations mainly tends to more conservative to response local habitats in Daliyabuyi, which is contribute to understand desert plant resource acquisition and utilization mechanisms in extremely arid and barren environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mawlida Tayir
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Yue Dai
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Smart City and Environment Modelling of Higher Education Institute, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- College of Geography and Remote Sensing Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Qingdong Shi
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Anwar Abdureyim
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Flora Erkin
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Wanyuan Huang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
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13
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Wang H, Harrison SP, Li M, Prentice IC, Qiao S, Wang R, Xu H, Mengoli G, Peng Y, Yang Y. The China plant trait database version 2. Sci Data 2022; 9:769. [PMID: 36522346 PMCID: PMC9755148 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01884-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant functional traits represent adaptive strategies to the environment, linked to biophysical and biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functioning. Compilations of trait data facilitate research in multiple fields from plant ecology through to land-surface modelling. Here we present version 2 of the China Plant Trait Database, which contains information on morphometric, physical, chemical, photosynthetic and hydraulic traits from 1529 unique species in 140 sites spanning a diversity of vegetation types. Version 2 has five improvements compared to the previous version: (1) new data from a 4-km elevation transect on the edge of Tibetan Plateau, including alpine vegetation types not sampled previously; (2) inclusion of traits related to hydraulic processes, including specific sapwood conductance, the area ratio of sapwood to leaf, wood density and turgor loss point; (3) inclusion of information on soil properties to complement the existing data on climate and vegetation (4) assessments and flagging the reliability of individual trait measurements; and (5) inclusion of standardized templates for systematical field sampling and measurements.
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Grants
- 694481 GC2.0 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council)
- 787203 REALM EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council)
- the LEMONTREE (Land Ecosystem Models based On New Theory, obseRvations and ExperimEnts) project, funded through the generosity of Eric and Wendy Schmidt by recommendation of the Schmidt Futures program
- High-End Foreign Expert award at Tsinghua University (G20190001075, G20200001064, G2021102001); the LEMONTREE (Land Ecosystem Models based On New Theory, obseRvations and ExperimEnts) project, funded through the generosity of Eric and Wendy Schmidt by recommendation of the Schmidt Futures program
- the LEMONTREE (Land Ecosystem Models based On New Theory, obseRvations and ExperimEnts) project, funded through the generosity of Eric and Wendy Schmidt by recommendation of the Schmidt Futures program; the High-End Foreign Expert award at Tsinghua University (G20190001075, G20200001064, G2021102001); the Imperial College initiative on Grand Challenges in Ecology and Environment
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Sandy P Harrison
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Sciences (SAGES), University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AH, United Kingdom
| | - Meng Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - I Colin Prentice
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
| | - Shengchao Qiao
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Runxi Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huiying Xu
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Giulia Mengoli
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
| | - Yunke Peng
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Yanzheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
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14
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Chen Y, Wu Y, Dong Y, Li Y, Ge Z, George O, Feng G, Mao L. Extinction risk of Chinese angiosperms varies between woody and herbaceous species. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yuheng Chen
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China
| | - Yongbin Wu
- College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture South China Agricultural University Guangzhou China
| | - Yuran Dong
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China
| | - Yao Li
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China
| | - Zhiwei Ge
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China
| | - Oduro George
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China
| | - Gang Feng
- School of Ecology and Environment Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China
| | - Lingfeng Mao
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China
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15
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Gong J, Zhang Z, Wang B, Shi J, Zhang W, Dong Q, Song L, Li Y, Liu Y. N addition rebalances the carbon and nitrogen metabolisms of Leymus chinensis through leaf N investment. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2022; 185:221-232. [PMID: 35714430 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Intensifying nitrogen (N) deposition disturbs the growth of grassland plants due to an imbalance between their carbon (C) and N metabolism. However, it's unclear how plant physiological strategies restore balance. We investigated the effects of multiple N addition levels (0-25 g N m-2 yr-1) on the coordination of C and N metabolism in a dominant grass (Leymus chinensis) in a semiarid grassland in northern China. To do so, we evaluated photosynthetic parameters, leaf N allocation, C- and N-based metabolites, and metabolic enzymes. We found that a moderate N level (10 g N m-2 yr-1) promoted carboxylation and electron transport by allocating more N to the photosynthetic apparatus and increasing ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activity, thereby increasing photosynthetic capacity. The highest N level (25 g N m-2 yr-1) promoted N investment in nonphotosynthetic pathways and increased the free amino acids in the leaves. N addition stimulated the accumulation of C and N compounds across organs by activating sucrose phosphate synthase, nitrate reductase, and glutamine synthetase. This enhancement triggered a transformation of primary metabolites (nonstructural carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids) to secondary metabolites (flavonoids, phenols, and alkaloids) for temporary storage or as defense compounds. Citric acid, as the C skeleton for enhanced N metabolism, decreased significantly, and malic acid increased by catalysis of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. Our findings show the adaptability of L. chinensis to different N-addition levels by adjusting its allocations of C and N metabolic compounds and confirm the roles of C and N coordination by grassland plants in these adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirui Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Zihe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Biao Wang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing, 400074, China.
| | - Jiayu Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Weiyuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Liangyuan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Yingying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China.
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16
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Wang H, Wang R, Harrison SP, Prentice IC. Leaf morphological traits as adaptations to multiple climate gradients. THE JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2022; 110:1344-1355. [PMID: 35915621 PMCID: PMC9313568 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Leaf morphological traits vary systematically along climatic gradients. However, recent studies in plant functional ecology have mainly analysed quantitative traits, while numerical models of species distributions and vegetation function have focused on traits associated with resource acquisition; both ignore the wider functional significance of leaf morphology.A dataset comprising 22 leaf morphological traits for 662 woody species from 92 sites, representing all biomes present in China, was subjected to multivariate analysis in order to identify leading dimensions of trait covariation (correspondence analysis), quantify climatic and phylogenetic contributions (canonical correspondence analysis with variation partitioning) and characterise co-occurring trait syndromes (k-means clustering) and their climatic preferences.Three axes accounted for >20% of trait variation in both evergreen and deciduous species. Moisture index, precipitation seasonality and growing-season temperature explained 8%-10% of trait variation; family 15%-32%. Microphyll or larger, mid- to dark green leaves with drip tips in wetter climates contrasted with nanophyll or smaller glaucous leaves without drip tips in drier climates. Thick, entire leaves in less seasonal climates contrasted with thin, marginal dissected, aromatic and involute/revolute leaves in more seasonal climates. Thick, involute, hairy leaves in colder climates contrasted with thin leaves with marked surface structures (surface patterning) in warmer climates. Distinctive trait clusters were linked to the driest and most seasonal climates, for example the clustering of picophyll, fleshy and succulent leaves in the driest climates and leptophyll, linear, dissected, revolute or involute and aromatic leaves in regions with highly seasonal rainfall. Several trait clusters co-occurred in wetter climates, including clusters characterised by microphyll, moderately thick, patent and entire leaves or notophyll, waxy, dark green leaves. Synthesis. The plastic response of size, shape, colour and other leaf morphological traits to climate is muted, thus their apparent shift along climate gradients reflects plant adaptations to environment at a community level as determined by species replacement. Information on leaf morphological traits, widely available in floras, could be used to strengthen predictive models of species distribution and vegetation function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System ModelingInstitute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Runxi Wang
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
| | - Sandy P. Harrison
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System ModelingInstitute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- Department of Geography and Environmental ScienceUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
| | - Iain Colin Prentice
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System ModelingInstitute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life SciencesImperial College LondonAscotUK
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversityNorth RydeNSWAustralia
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17
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Akram MA, Zhang Y, Wang X, Shrestha N, Malik K, Khan I, Ma W, Sun Y, Li F, Ran J, Deng J. Phylogenetic independence in the variations in leaf functional traits among different plant life forms in an arid environment. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 272:153671. [PMID: 35381492 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2022.153671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Leaf traits of global plants reveal the fundamental trade-offs in plant resource acquisition to conservation strategies. However, which leaf traits are consistent, converged, or diverged among herbs, shrubs, and subshrubs in an arid environment remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the trade-offs in six leaf functional traits (LFTs): leaf fresh mass (LFM), leaf dry mass (LDM), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf thickness (LTh) of 37 desert plant species. LFTs differed between different plant life forms; LFM, LDM, and LA were slightly higher in herbs, LDMC and LTh in shrubs, and SLA in subshrubs. Conversely, the correlations among LFTs were inconsistent in different life forms, which may indicate their different adaptation strategies in an arid environment. Legumes and C3 plants exhibited slightly higher LDMC, LA, and SLA than non-legumes and C4 plants, whereas non-legumes and C4 plants showed higher (nonsignificant) LFM, LDM, and LTh than legumes and C3 plants. A significant phylogenetic signal (PS) and maximum K-value were found for SLA (K = 0.32). LFTs exhibited convergent and divergent variations among different life forms. However, these variations in LFTs were not influenced by phylogeny. Together, these findings increase our understanding of the variations in ecological adaptations of desert plants as well as adaption strategies of different life forms in an arid environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Adnan Akram
- School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yahui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaoting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Nawal Shrestha
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems and College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Kamran Malik
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; Center for Grassland Microbiome, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Imran Khan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Weijing Ma
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Fan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jinzhi Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jianming Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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18
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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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19
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Yan JM, Li YG, Maisupova B, Zhou XB, Zhang J, Liu HL, Yin BF, Zang YX, Tao Y, Zhang YM. Effects of growth decline on twig functional traits of wild apple trees in two long-term monitoring plots in Yili Valley: Implication for their conservation. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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20
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Sheng M, Tang J, Yang D, Fisher JB, Wang H, Kattge J. Long-term leaf C:N ratio change under elevated CO 2 and nitrogen deposition in China: Evidence from observations and process-based modeling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 800:149591. [PMID: 34399345 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149591] [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: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate change, elevating atmosphere CO2 (eCO2) and increased nitrogen deposition (iNDEP) are altering the biogeochemical interactions between plants, microbes and soils, which further modify plant leaf carbon‑nitrogen (C:N) stoichiometry and their carbon assimilation capability. Many field experiments have observed large sensitivity of leaf C:N ratio to eCO2 and iNDEP. However, the large-scale pattern of this sensitivity is still unclear, because eCO2 and iNDEP drive leaf C:N ratio toward opposite directions, which are further compounded by the complex processes of nitrogen acquisition and plant-and-microbial nitrogen competition. Here, we attempt to map the leaf C:N ratio spatial variation in the past 5 decades in China with a combination of data-driven model and process-based modeling. These two approaches showed consistent results. Over different regions, we found that leaf C:N ratio had significant but uneven changes between 2 time periods (1960-1989 and 1990-2015): a 5% ± 8% increase for temperate grasslands in northern China, a 3% ± 6% increase for boreal grasslands in western China, and by contrast, a 7% ± 6% decrease for temperate forests in southern China, and a 3% ± 5% decrease for boreal forests in northeastern China. Additionally, the structural equation models indicated that the leaf C:N change was sensitive to ΔNDEP, ΔCO2 and ΔMAT rather than ΔMAP and ecosystem types. Process-based modeling suggested that iNDEP was the main source of soil mineral nitrogen change, dominating leaf C:N ratio change in most areas in China, while eCO2 led to leaf C:N ratio increase in low iNDEP area. This study also indicates that the long-term leaf C:N ratio acclimation was dominated by climate constraint, especially temperature, but was constrained by soil N availability over decade scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyun Tang
- Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Climate Sciences Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Dawen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Joshua B Fisher
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Han Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jens Kattge
- Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
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21
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An N, Lu N, Fu B, Wang M, He N. Distinct Responses of Leaf Traits to Environment and Phylogeny Between Herbaceous and Woody Angiosperm Species in China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:799401. [PMID: 34950176 PMCID: PMC8688848 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.799401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Leaf traits play key roles in plant resource acquisition and ecosystem processes; however, whether the effects of environment and phylogeny on leaf traits differ between herbaceous and woody species remains unclear. To address this, in this study, we collected data for five key leaf traits from 1,819 angiosperm species across 530 sites in China. The leaf traits included specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf area, leaf N concentration, and leaf P concentration, all of which are closely related to trade-offs between resource uptake and leaf construction. We quantified the relative contributions of environment variables and phylogeny to leaf trait variation for all species, as well as for herbaceous and woody species separately. We found that environmental factors explained most of the variation (44.4-65.5%) in leaf traits (compared with 3.9-23.3% for phylogeny). Climate variability and seasonality variables, in particular, mean temperature of the warmest and coldest seasons of a year (MTWM/MTWQ and MTCM/MTCQ) and mean precipitation in the wettest and driest seasons of a year (MPWM/MPWQ and MPDM/MPDQ), were more important drivers of leaf trait variation than mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP). Furthermore, the responses of leaf traits to environment variables and phylogeny differed between herbaceous and woody species. Our study demonstrated the different effects of environment variables and phylogeny on leaf traits among different plant growth forms, which is expected to advance the understanding of plant adaptive strategies and trait evolution under different environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannan An
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bojie Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nianpeng He
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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22
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Detecting the Turning Points of Grassland Autumn Phenology on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: Spatial Heterogeneity and Controls. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13234797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Autumn phenology, commonly represented by the end of season (EOS), is considered to be the most sensitive and crucial productivity indicator of alpine and cold grassland in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Previous studies typically assumed that the rates of EOS changes remain unchanged over long time periods. However, pixel-scale analysis indicates the existence of turning points and differing EOS change rates before and after these points. The spatial heterogeneity and controls of these turning points remain unclear. In this study, the EOS turning point changes are extracted and their controls are explored by integrating long time-series remote sensing images and piecewise regression methods. The results indicate that the EOS changed over time with a delay rate of 0.08 days/year during 1982–2015. The rates of change are not consistent over different time periods, which clearly highlights the existence of turning points. The results show that temperature contributed most strongly to the EOS changes, followed by precipitation and insolation. Furthermore, the turning points of climate, human activities (e.g., grazing, economic development), and their intersections are found to jointly control the EOS turning points. This study is the first quantitative investigation into the spatial heterogeneity and controls of the EOS turning points on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and provides important insight into the growth mechanism of alpine and cold grassland.
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Yang Y, Kang L, Zhao J, Qi N, Li R, Wen Z, Kassout J, Peng C, Lin G, Zheng H. Quantifying Leaf Trait Covariations and Their Relationships with Plant Adaptation Strategies along an Aridity Gradient. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10101066. [PMID: 34681167 PMCID: PMC8533430 DOI: 10.3390/biology10101066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Plants usually adopt different strategies to adapt to their surrounding environments. Accurately quantifying plant strategies is of great interest in trait-based ecology, in particular to understand the responses of ecological structures and processes. In the last two decades, these strategies have been described qualitatively; however, the use of quantitative methods is still lacking. In this study, we used a plant functional trait approach to discuss plant strategies along an aridity gradient. We found that eight functional traits divided into four dimensions represent four adaptation strategies: energy balance, resource acquisition, resource investment and water use efficiency. We also concluded that climate and soil together with family (vegetation succession) were the main driving forces of trait covariations. Our study provided a new perspective to understand plant functional responses to aridity gradients, which is helpful for ecological management and vegetation restoration programs in arid regions. Abstract A trait-based approach is an effective way to quantify plant adaptation strategies in response to changing environments. Single trait variations have been well depicted before; however, multi-trait covariations and their roles in shaping plant adaptation strategies along aridity gradients remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to reveal multi-trait covariation characteristics, their controls and their relevance to plant adaptation strategies. Using eight relevant plant functional traits and multivariate statistical approaches, we found the following: (1) the eight studied traits show evident covariation characteristics and could be grouped into four functional dimensions linked to plant strategies, namely energy balance, resource acquisition, resource investment and water use efficiency; (2) leaf area (LA) together with traits related to the leaf economic spectrum, including leaf nitrogen content per area (Narea), leaf nitrogen per mass (Nmass) and leaf dry mass per area (LMA), covaried along the aridity gradient (represented by the moisture index, MI) and dominated the trait–environmental change axis; (3) together, climate, soil and family can explain 50.4% of trait covariations; thus, vegetation succession along the aridity gradient cannot be neglected in trait covariations. Our findings provide novel perspectives toward a better understanding of plant adaptations to arid conditions and serve as a reference for vegetation restoration and management programs in arid regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; (Y.Y.); (R.L.)
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
| | - Le Kang
- East China Inventory and Planning Institute of the State Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Hangzhou 310019, China;
| | - Jun Zhao
- China Aero Geophysical Survey & Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Ning Qi
- School of Information Science & Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Ruonan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; (Y.Y.); (R.L.)
| | - Zhongming Wen
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China;
| | - Jalal Kassout
- Laboratory of Applied Botany, BioAgrodiversity Team, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93002, Morocco;
| | - Changhui Peng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada;
| | - Guanghui Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
| | - Hua Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; (Y.Y.); (R.L.)
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-010-62849134
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He D. Leaf economic strategies of a sclerophyllous plant (Eurya japonica): commonalities and particularities of trait correlation structures in low-moisture and low-phosphorus habitats. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2021; 48:1017-1028. [PMID: 34266540 DOI: 10.1071/fp21119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sclerophylly proves an advantageous strategy in a variety of stressful environments. However, it is less clear how multiple phenotypic traits in sclerophyllous plants are integrated to accomplish proper functions under specific stressors. This study measured 10 leaf traits in a sclerophyllous species, Eurya japonica Thunb., in the Zhoushan Archipelago, eastern China, to examine how the structures of trait correlation (i.e. phenotypic integration) vary between two habitats with contrasting moisture and phosphorus (P) availability. Overall, the trait correlation matrices were similar between the two habitats under study (Mantel r > 0.5), reflecting a consistent trade-off between leaf outspreading (i.e. leaf area/mass ratio) and water-use efficiency (measured by δ13C). Stomatal conductance was correlated with leaf area, thickness and area/mass ratio only in the dry, P-rich habitat, whereas it was robustly correlated with leaf P per unit area in the wet, P-poor habitat. Moreover, leaf water-use efficiency was robustly correlated with leaf P and N per unit area in the dry habitat, but not so in the low-P one. These differences in trait correlation structures illustrate that the pathways of strategic compromise under contrasting stressors were locally specialised. This study highlights the importance of phenotypic integration as an emergent 'trait' in sustaining viable strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong He
- Putuo Island Ecosystem Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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25
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Xu H, Wang H, Prentice IC, Harrison SP, Wang G, Sun X. Predictability of leaf traits with climate and elevation: a case study in Gongga Mountain, China. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 41:1336-1352. [PMID: 33440428 PMCID: PMC8454210 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Leaf mass per area (Ma), nitrogen content per unit leaf area (Narea), maximum carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and the ratio of leaf-internal to ambient CO2 partial pressure (χ) are important traits related to photosynthetic function, and they show systematic variation along climatic and elevational gradients. Separating the effects of air pressure and climate along elevational gradients is challenging due to the covariation of elevation, pressure and climate. However, recently developed models based on optimality theory offer an independent way to predict leaf traits and thus to separate the contributions of different controls. We apply optimality theory to predict variation in leaf traits across 18 sites in the Gongga Mountain region. We show that the models explain 59% of trait variability on average, without site- or region-specific calibration. Temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture and growing season length are all necessary to explain the observed patterns. The direct effect of air pressure is shown to have a relatively minor impact. These findings contribute to a growing body of research indicating that leaf-level traits vary with the physical environment in predictable ways, suggesting a promising direction for the improvement of terrestrial ecosystem models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- Joint Center for Global Change Studies (JCGCS), Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Han Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- Joint Center for Global Change Studies (JCGCS), Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - I Colin Prentice
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Sandy P Harrison
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Sciences (SAGES), University of Reading, Reading Berkshire RG6 6AH, UK
| | - Genxu Wang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Renmin South Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Renmin South Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xiangyang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Renmin South Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610065, China
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Abstract
A plant functional trait study was conducted to know the existing relationship between important leaf traits namely, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and leaf life span (LL) in tropical dry evergreen forest (TDEFs) of Peninsular India. Widely accepted methodologies were employed to record functional traits. The relationships between SLA and LDMC, LDMC and LL, and SLA and LL were measured. Pearson’s coefficient of correlation showed a significant negative relationship between SLA and LDMC, and SLA and LL, whereas a significant positive relationship was prevailed between LDMC and LL. The mean trait values (SLA, LDMC, and LL) of evergreens varied significantly from deciduous species. SLA had a closer relationship with LDMC than LL. Similarly, LL had a closer relationship with SLA than LDMC. Species with evergreen leaf habits dominated forest sites under study. Evergreen species dominate the study area with a high evergreen-deciduous ratio of 5.34:1. The S strategy score of trees indicated a relatively higher biomass allocation to persistent tissues. TDEFs occur in low elevation, semiarid environment, but with the combination of oligotrophic habitat, high temperature and longer dry season these forests were flourishing as a unique evergreen ecosystem in the drier environment. The relationships found between leaf traits were in concurrence with earlier findings. Trees of TDEFs survive on the poor-nutrient habitat with a low SLA, high LDMC, and LL. This study adds baseline data on key leaf traits to plant functional trait database of India.
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27
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Homeier J, Seeler T, Pierick K, Leuschner C. Leaf trait variation in species-rich tropical Andean forests. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9993. [PMID: 33976239 PMCID: PMC8113502 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89190-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Screening species-rich communities for the variation in functional traits along environmental gradients may help understanding the abiotic drivers of plant performance in a mechanistic way. We investigated tree leaf trait variation along an elevation gradient (1000-3000 m) in highly diverse neotropical montane forests to test the hypothesis that elevational trait change reflects a trend toward more conservative resource use strategies at higher elevations, with interspecific trait variation decreasing and trait integration increasing due to environmental filtering. Analysis of trait variance partitioning across the 52 tree species revealed for most traits a dominant influence of phylogeny, except for SLA, leaf thickness and foliar Ca, where elevation was most influential. The community-level means of SLA, foliar N and Ca, and foliar N/P ratio decreased with elevation, while leaf thickness and toughness increased. The contribution of intraspecific variation was substantial at the community level in most traits, yet smaller than the interspecific component. Both within-species and between-species trait variation did not change systematically with elevation. High phylogenetic diversity, together with small-scale edaphic heterogeneity, cause large interspecific leaf trait variation in these hyper-diverse Andean forests. Trait network analysis revealed increasing leaf trait integration with elevation, suggesting stronger environmental filtering at colder and nutrient-poorer sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Homeier
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Goettingen, Germany.
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Tabea Seeler
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Pierick
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Goettingen, Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
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28
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Hofhansl F, Chacón‐Madrigal E, Brännström Å, Dieckmann U, Franklin O. Mechanisms driving plant functional trait variation in a tropical forest. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3856-3870. [PMID: 33976780 PMCID: PMC8093716 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant functional trait variation in tropical forests results from taxonomic differences in phylogeny and associated genetic differences, as well as, phenotypic plastic responses to the environment. Accounting for the underlying mechanisms driving plant functional trait variation is important for understanding the potential rate of change of ecosystems since trait acclimation via phenotypic plasticity is very fast compared to shifts in community composition and genetic adaptation. We here applied a statistical technique to decompose the relative roles of phenotypic plasticity, genetic adaptation, and phylogenetic constraints. We examined typically obtained plant functional traits, such as wood density, plant height, specific leaf area, leaf area, leaf thickness, leaf dry mass content, leaf nitrogen content, and leaf phosphorus content. We assumed that genetic differences in plant functional traits between species and genotypes increase with environmental heterogeneity and geographic distance, whereas trait variation due to plastic acclimation to the local environment is independent of spatial distance between sampling sites. Results suggest that most of the observed trait variation could not be explained by the measured environmental variables, thus indicating a limited potential to predict individual plant traits from commonly assessed parameters. However, we found a difference in the response of plant functional traits, such that leaf traits varied in response to canopy-light regime and nutrient availability, whereas wood traits were related to topoedaphic factors and water availability. Our analysis furthermore revealed differences in the functional response of coexisting neotropical tree species, which suggests that endemic species with conservative ecological strategies might be especially prone to competitive exclusion under projected climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Hofhansl
- International Institute for Applied Systems AnalysisLaxenburgAustria
| | | | - Åke Brännström
- International Institute for Applied Systems AnalysisLaxenburgAustria
- Department of Mathematics and Mathematical StatisticsUmeå UniversityUmeåSweden
| | - Ulf Dieckmann
- International Institute for Applied Systems AnalysisLaxenburgAustria
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of BiosystemsThe Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai)HayamaJapan
| | - Oskar Franklin
- International Institute for Applied Systems AnalysisLaxenburgAustria
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29
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Wang R, He N, Li S, Xu L, Li M. Spatial variation and mechanisms of leaf water content in grassland plants at the biome scale: evidence from three comparative transects. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9281. [PMID: 33927280 PMCID: PMC8084930 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88678-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Leaf water content (LWC) has important physiological and ecological significance for plant growth. However, it is still unclear how LWC varies over large spatial scale and with plant adaptation strategies. Here, we measured the LWC of 1365 grassland plants, along three comparative precipitation transects from meadow to desert on the Mongolia Plateau (MP), Loess Plateau, and Tibetan Plateau, respectively, to explore its spatial variation and the underlying mechanisms that determine this variation. The LWC data were normally distributed with an average value of 0.66 g g−1. LWC was not significantly different among the three plateaus, but it differed significantly among different plant life forms. Spatially, LWC in the three plateaus all decreased and then increased from meadow to desert grassland along a precipitation gradient. Unexpectedly, climate and genetic evolution only explained a small proportion of the spatial variation of LWC in all plateaus, and LWC was only weakly correlated with precipitation in the water-limited MP. Overall, the lasso variation in LWC with precipitation in all plateaus represented an underlying trade-off between structural investment and water income in plants, for better survival in various environments. In brief, plants should invest less to thrive in a humid environment (meadow), increase more investment to keep a relatively stable LWC in a drying environment, and have high investment to hold higher LWC in a dry environment (desert). Combined, these results indicate that LWC should be an important variable in future studies of large-scale trait variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruomeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nianpeng He
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China. .,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Changchun, 130024, China.
| | - Shenggong Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China. .,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Li Xu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Mingxu Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
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30
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Kang X, Li Y, Zhou J, Zhang S, Li C, Wang J, Liu W, Qi W. Response of Leaf Traits of Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Broad-Leaved Woody Plants to Climatic Factors. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:679726. [PMID: 34394139 PMCID: PMC8363248 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.679726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Plant ecologists have long been interested in quantifying how leaf traits vary with climate factors, but there is a paucity of knowledge on these relationships given a large number of the relevant leaf traits and climate factors to be considered. We examined the responses of 11 leaf traits (including leaf morphology, stomatal structure and chemical properties) to eight common climate factors for 340 eastern Qinghai-Tibetan woody species. We showed temperature as the strongest predictor of leaf size and shape, stomatal size and form, and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, implying the important role of local heat quantity in determining the variation in the cell- or organ-level leaf morphology and leaf biochemical properties. The effects of moisture-related climate factors (including precipitation and humidity) on leaf growth were mainly through variability in leaf traits (e.g., specific leaf area and stomatal density) related to plant water-use physiological processes. In contrast, sunshine hours affected mainly cell- and organ-level leaf size and shape, with plants developing small/narrow leaves and stomata to decrease leaf damage and water loss under prolonged solar radiation. Moreover, two sets of significant leaf trait-climate relationships, i.e., the leaf/stomata size traits co-varying with temperature, and the water use-related leaf traits co-varying with precipitation, were obtained when analyzing multi-trait relationships, suggesting these traits as good indicators of climate gradients. Our findings contributed evidence to enhance understanding of the regional patterns in leaf trait variation and its environmental determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yanan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jieyang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shiting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chenxi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Juhong Wang
- College of Life Science and Food Technology, Hanshan Normal University, Chaozhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wei Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Qi,
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Yudina PK, Ivanov LA, Ronzhina DA, Anenkhonov OA, Ivanova LA. Influence of the Systematic Position at the Family Level on the Leaf Functional Traits of Steppe Plants. CONTEMP PROBL ECOL+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s199542552005011x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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32
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Dong N, Prentice IC, Wright IJ, Evans BJ, Togashi HF, Caddy-Retalic S, McInerney FA, Sparrow B, Leitch E, Lowe AJ. Components of leaf-trait variation along environmental gradients. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 228:82-94. [PMID: 32198931 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Leaf area (LA), mass per area (LMA), nitrogen per unit area (Narea ) and the leaf-internal to ambient CO2 ratio (χ) are fundamental traits for plant functional ecology and vegetation modelling. Here we aimed to assess how their variation, within and between species, tracks environmental gradients. Measurements were made on 705 species from 116 sites within a broad north-south transect from tropical to temperate Australia. Trait responses to environment were quantified using multiple regression; within- and between-species responses were compared using analysis of covariance and trait-gradient analysis. Leaf area, the leaf economics spectrum (indexed by LMA and Narea ) and χ (from stable carbon isotope ratios) varied almost independently among species. Across sites, however, χ and LA increased with mean growing-season temperature (mGDD0 ) and decreased with vapour pressure deficit (mVPD0 ) and soil pH. LMA and Narea showed the reverse pattern. Climate responses agreed with expectations based on optimality principles. Within-species variability contributed < 10% to geographical variation in LA but > 90% for χ, with LMA and Narea intermediate. These findings support the hypothesis that acclimation within individuals, adaptation within species and selection among species combine to create predictable relationships between traits and environment. However, the contribution of acclimation/adaptation vs species selection differs among traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Dong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Iain Colin Prentice
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
- AXA Chair of Biosphere and Climate Impacts, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Bradley J Evans
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Department of Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Henrique F Togashi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Stefan Caddy-Retalic
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Department for Environment and Water, Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia, Hackney Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Francesca A McInerney
- Department of Earth Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Ben Sparrow
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Emrys Leitch
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lowe
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
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Hock M, Hofmann R, Essl F, Pyšek P, Bruelheide H, Erfmeier A. Native distribution characteristics rather than functional traits explain preadaptation of invasive species to high‐UV‐B environments. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Hock
- Institute for Ecosystem Research/Geobotany Kiel University Kiel Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden Martin Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg Halle Germany
| | - Rainer Hofmann
- Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences Lincoln University Lincoln New Zealand
| | - Franz Essl
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Petr Pyšek
- Institute of Botany Department of Invasion Ecology Czech Academy of Sciences Průhonice Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden Martin Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg Halle Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Alexandra Erfmeier
- Institute for Ecosystem Research/Geobotany Kiel University Kiel Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
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Robust leaf trait relationships across species under global environmental changes. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2999. [PMID: 32532992 PMCID: PMC7293315 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16839-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies show coordinated relationships between plant leaf traits and their capacity to predict ecosystem functions. However, how leaf traits will change within species and whether interspecific trait relationships will shift under future environmental changes both remain unclear. Here, we examine the bivariate correlations between leaf economic traits of 515 species in 210 experiments which mimic climate warming, drought, elevated CO2, and nitrogen deposition. We find divergent directions of changes in trait-pairs between species, and the directions mostly do not follow the interspecific trait relationships. However, the slopes in the logarithmic transformed interspecific trait relationships hold stable under environmental changes, while only their elevations vary. The elevation changes of trait relationship are mainly driven by asymmetrically interspecific responses contrary to the direction of the leaf economic spectrum. These findings suggest robust interspecific trait relationships under global changes, and call for linking within-species responses to interspecific coordination of plant traits. It is unclear whether rapid global change will lead to unexpected trait combinations. In this global meta-analysis on vascular plants, Cui et al. show that, although within-species responses do not always follow the leaf economic spectrum, the slopes of interspecific trait relationships are robust to rapid environmental change.
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35
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Li Y, Hou X, Li X, Zhao X, Wu Z, Xiao Y, Guo Y. Will the climate of plant origins influence the chemical profiles of cuticular waxes on leaves of Leymus chinensis in a common garden experiment? Ecol Evol 2020; 10:543-556. [PMID: 31988740 PMCID: PMC6972809 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cuticular wax covering the leaf surface plays important roles in protecting plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. Understanding the way in which plant leaf cuticles reflect their growing environment could give an insight into plant resilience to future climate change. Here, we analyzed the variations of cuticular waxes among 59 populations of Leymus chinensis in a common garden experiment, aiming to verify how environmental conditions influence the chemical profiles of cuticular waxes. In total, eight cuticular wax classes were identified, including fatty acids, aldehydes, primary alcohols, alkanes, secondary alcohols, ketones, β-diketones, and alkylresorcinols, with β-diketones the predominant compounds in all populations (averaged 67.36% across all populations). Great intraspecific trait variations (ITV) were observed for total wax coverage, wax compositions, and the relative abundance of homologues within each wax class. Cluster analysis based on wax characteristics could separate 59 populations into different clades. However, the populations could not be separated according to their original longitudes, latitudes, annual temperature, or annual precipitation. Redundancy analysis showed that latitude, arid index, and the precipitation from June to August were the most important parameters contributing to the variations of the amount of total wax coverage and wax composition and the relative abundance of wax classes. Pearson's correlation analysis further indicated that the relative abundance of wax classes, homologues in each wax class, and even isomers of certain compound differed in their responses to environmental factors. These results suggested that wax deposition patterns of L. chinensis populations formed during adaptations to their long-term growing environments could inherit in their progenies and exhibit such inheritance even these progenies were exported to new environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- College of Agronomy and BiotechnologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Xiangyang Hou
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural ScienceInstitute of Grassland ResearchHohhotChina
| | - Xiaoting Li
- College of Agronomy and BiotechnologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Xiao Zhao
- College of Agronomy and BiotechnologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Zinian Wu
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural ScienceInstitute of Grassland ResearchHohhotChina
| | - Yu Xiao
- College of Agronomy and BiotechnologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yanjun Guo
- College of Agronomy and BiotechnologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
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Zhang H, Zeng Z, Zou Z, Zeng F. Climate, Life Form and Family Jointly Control Variation of Leaf Traits. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 8:E286. [PMID: 31416214 PMCID: PMC6724092 DOI: 10.3390/plants8080286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Variation in leaf traits may represent differences in physiological processes and environmental adaptative strategies. Using multivariate analyses, we investigated 13 leaf traits to quantify the trade-off in these traits and the trait-climate/biome relationships based on the China Plant Trait Database, which contains morphometric and physiological character information on 1215 species for 122 sites, ranging from the north to the tropics, and from deserts and grasslands to woodlands and forests. Leaf traits across the dataset of Chinese plants showed different spatial patterns along longitudinal and latitudinal gradients and high variation. There were significant positive or negative correlations among traits; however, with the exception of the leaf 13C:12C stable isotope ratio, there were no significant correlations between leaf area and other traits. Climate, life form, and family jointly accounted for 68.4% to 95.7% of trait variance. Amongst these forms of variation partitioning, the most important partitioning feature was the family independence of climate and life form (35.6% to 57.2%), while the joint effect of family and climate was 4.5% to 26.2%, and the joint effect of family and life form was 2.4% to 21.6%. The findings of this study will enhance our understanding of the variation in leaf traits in Chinese flora and the environmental adaptative strategies of plants against a background of global climate change, and also may enrich and improve the leaf economics spectrum of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin 541006, China
| | - Zhaoxia Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China
| | - Zhigang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China
| | - Fuping Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China.
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Yang Y, Zhao J, Zhao P, Wang H, Wang B, Su S, Li M, Wang L, Zhu Q, Pang Z, Peng C. Trait-Based Climate Change Predictions of Vegetation Sensitivity and Distribution in China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:908. [PMID: 31354775 PMCID: PMC6640191 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) suffer insufficiencies in tracking biochemical cycles and ecosystem fluxes. One important reason for these insufficiencies is that DGVMs use fixed parameters (mostly traits) to distinguish attributes and functions of plant functional types (PFTs); however, these traits vary under different climatic conditions. Therefore, it is urgent to quantify trait covariations, including those among specific leaf area (SLA), area-based leaf nitrogen (N area), and leaf area index (LAI) (in 580 species across 218 sites in this study), and explore new classification methods that can be applied to model vegetation dynamics under future climate change scenarios. We use a redundancy analysis (RDA) to derive trait-climate relationships and employ a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) to project vegetation distributions under different climate scenarios. The results show that (1) the three climatic variables, mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), and monthly photosynthetically active radiation (mPAR) could capture 65% of the covariations of three functional traits; (2) tropical, subtropical and temperate forest complexes expand while boreal forest, temperate steppe, temperate scrub and tundra shrink under future climate change scenarios; and (3) the GMM classification based on trait covariations should be a powerful candidate for building new generation of DGVM, especially predicting the response of vegetation to future climate changes. This study provides a promising route toward developing reliable, robust and realistic vegetation models and can address a series of limitations in current models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzheng Yang
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pengxiang Zhao
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- *Correspondence: Pengxiang Zhao,
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Boheng Wang
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Shaofeng Su
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Mingxu Li
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Liming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiuan Zhu
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Zhiyong Pang
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Changhui Peng
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- Department of Biology Sciences, Institute of Environment Sciences, University of Québec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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