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Yang G, Zhang Z, Zhang G, Liu Q, Zheng P, Wang R. Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:982478. [PMID: 36061793 PMCID: PMC9428514 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.982478] [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: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
It has widely been documented that nitrogen (N) enrichment stimulates plant growth and modifies plant functional traits in the terrestrial ecosystem. However, it remains unclear whether there are critical transitions or tipping points for the response of plant growth or traits to N enrichment, and how these responses differ to different N forms. We chose the native, perennial clonal grass, Leymus chinensis in Inner Mongolia steppe, and conducted a field experiment, in which six N addition rates (0, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 g N m-2 year-1) and five N compound types [NH4NO3, (NH4)2SO4, NH4HCO3, CO(NH2)2, slow-release CO(NH2)2] are considered. Here, we found that the different N compound types had no significant effect on the growth of L. chinensis. N addition rate significantly increased plant aboveground biomass and leaf nitrogen concentration, whereas decreased leaf dry matter content. The tipping point for N-induced aboveground biomass increase was at 10 g N m-2 year-1, and the changes in functional traits were at N addition rates of 20 g N m-2 year-1. Our findings suggested that the responses of aboveground biomass and functional traits to N addition were asymmetric, in which responses in aboveground biomass were more sensitive than that in functional traits. The differential sensitivity of aboveground biomass and functional traits of L. chinensis occurred to N deposition highlights the importance of functional traits in mediating ecosystem functioning in the face of N deposition, regardless of which chemical forms dominate in the deposited N.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojiao Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zijia Zhang
- Hainan Ecological Environment Monitoring Center, Haikou, China
| | - Guangming Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Qianguang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Peiming Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- Qingdao Forest Ecology Research Station of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Renqing Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- Qingdao Forest Ecology Research Station of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
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Guo A, Zuo X, Zhang S, Hu Y, Yue P, Lv P, Li X, Zhao S, Yu Q. Contrasting effects of plant inter- and intraspecific variation on community trait responses to nitrogen addition and drought in typical and meadow steppes. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:90. [PMID: 35232383 PMCID: PMC8886796 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03486-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inter- and intraspecific variation in plant traits play an important role in grassland community assembly under global change scenarios. However, explorations of how these variations contribute to the responses of community traits to nitrogen (N) addition and drought in different grassland types are lacking. We measured the plant height, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf N content (LNC) and the ratio of leaf carbon (C) to leaf N (C:N) in a typical and a meadow steppe after three years of N addition, drought and their interaction. We determined the community-weighted means (CWMs) of the six traits to quantify the relative contribution of inter- and intraspecific variation to the responses of community traits to N addition and drought in the two steppes. RESULTS The communities in the two steppes responded to N addition and the interaction by increasing the CWM of LNC and decreasing C:N. The community in the meadow steppe responded to drought through increased CWM of LNC and reduced C:N. Significant differences were observed in SLA, LDMC, LNC and C:N between the two steppes under different treatments. The SLA and LNC of the community in the meadow steppe were greater than those of the typical steppe, and the LDMC and C:N exhibited the opposite results. Moreover, variation in community traits in the typical steppe in response to N addition and drought was caused by intraspecific variation. In contrast, the shifts in community traits in the meadow steppe in response to N addition and drought were influenced by both inter- and intraspecific variation. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that intraspecific variation contributed more to community functional shifts in the typical steppe than in the meadow steppe. Intraspecific variation should be considered to understand better and predict the response of typical steppe communities to global changes. The minor effects of interspecific variation on meadow steppe communities in response to environmental changes also should not be neglected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aixia Guo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Senxi Zhang
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ya Hu
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Peng Lv
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shenglong Zhao
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 10008, China
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Khan A, Sun J, Zarif N, Khan K, Jamil MA, Yang L, Clothier B, Rewald B. Effects of Increased N Deposition on Leaf Functional Traits of Four Contrasting Tree Species in Northeast China. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E1231. [PMID: 32962033 PMCID: PMC7570078 DOI: 10.3390/plants9091231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Northeast China is persistently affected by heavy nitrogen (N) deposition. Studying the induced variation in leaf traits is pivotal to develop an understanding of the adaptive plasticity of affected species. This study thus assesses effects of increased N deposition on leaf morphological and anatomical traits and their correlation among and with biomass allocation patterns. A factorial experiment was conducted utilizing seedlings of two gymnosperms (Larix gmelinii, Pinus koraiensis) and two angiosperms (Fraxinus mandshurica, Tilia amurensis). Leaf mass per area and leaf density decreased and leaf thickness increased under high N deposition but trait interrelations remained stable. In gymnosperms, leaf mass per area was correlated to both leaf thickness and area, while being correlated to leaf density only in angiosperms. Epidermis, mesophyll thickness, conduit and vascular bundle diameter increased. Despite the differences in taxonomic groups and leaf habits, the common patterns of variation suggest that a certain degree of convergence exists between the species' reaction towards N deposition. However, stomata pore length increased in angiosperms, and decreased in gymnosperms under N deposition. Furthermore, biomass and leaf mass fraction were correlated to leaf traits in gymnosperms only, suggesting a differential coordination of leaf traits and biomass allocation patterns under high N deposition per taxonomic group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attaullah Khan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Jingjue Sun
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Nowsherwan Zarif
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
- Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar (PFI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Khan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Muhammad Atif Jamil
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Lixue Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, Harbin 150040, China; (A.K.); (J.S.); (N.Z.); (K.K.); (M.A.J.)
| | - Brent Clothier
- Sustainable Production, New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4474, New Zealand;
| | - Boris Rewald
- Forest Ecology, Department for Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria;
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