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Yi R, Liu Q, Yang F, Dai X, Meng S, Fu X, Li S, Kou L, Wang H. Complementary belowground strategies underlie species coexistence in an early successional forest. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:612-623. [PMID: 36647205 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18736] [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: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Unravelling belowground strategies is critical for understanding species coexistence and successional dynamics; yet, our knowledge of nutrient acquisition strategies of forest species at different successional stages remains limited. We measured morphological (diameter, specific root length, and root tissue density), architectural (branching ratio), physiological (ammonium, nitrate, and glycine uptake rates) root traits, and mycorrhizal colonisation rates of eight coexisting woody species in an early successional plantation forest in subtropical China. By incorporating physiological uptake efficiency, we revealed a bi-dimensional root economics space comprising of an 'amount-efficiency' dimension represented by morphological and physiological traits, and a 'self-symbiosis' dimension dominated by architectural and mycorrhizal traits. The early pioneer species relied on root-fungal symbiosis, developing densely branched roots with high mycorrhizal colonisation rates for foraging mobile soil nitrate. The late pioneer species invested in roots themselves and allocated effort towards improving uptake efficiency of less-mobile ammonium. Within the root economics space, the covariation of axes with soil phosphorus availability also distinguished the strategy preference of the two successional groups. These results demonstrate the importance of incorporating physiological uptake efficiency into root economics space, and reveal a trade-off between expanding soil physical space exploration and improving physiological uptake efficiency for successional species coexistence in forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruojun Yi
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qianyuan Liu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050024, China
| | - Fengting Yang
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xiaoqin Dai
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Shengwang Meng
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xiaoli Fu
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shenggong Li
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- National Ecosystem Science Data Center, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Liang Kou
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Huimin Wang
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Functional Traits of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata in Qinling Huangguan Forest Dynamics Plot: The Relative Importance of Plant Size and Habitat. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13060899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Variation in intraspecific functional traits is one of the important components of community variation, and has drawn the attention of researchers. Studying the variation of traits under different plant sizes and habitats helps to reveal the adaptation mechanism of plants. We explored intraspecific trait variations by focusing on the widespread species Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata in a 25 ha warm, temperate, deciduous broadleaved forest plot in the Qinling Mountains. We measured nine morphological and chemical traits for 90 individuals from different plant sizes and habitats. In addition, we evaluated the relative impact of plant size and environment on Q. aliena var. acuteserrata with multiple regression models. We found that plant size explained the most variance of traits. As plant size increased, the trees tended to have lower leaf nitrogen concentrations, lower leaf phosphorus concentrations, higher leaf carbon concentrations, higher leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and thinner leaves, indicating the transformation from rapid resource acquisition strategy to conservative resource-use strategy. Habitats could only explain the changes in chemical traits. Leaf carbon concentration was principally affected by topographical factors and was significant different among habitats. Leaf nitrogen concentration and LPC were significantly limited by soil N and P. In conclusion, shifts in size-dependent traits met the growth requirements of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata; the high tolerance traits associated with this tree species might elucidate important mechanisms for coping with changing environments.
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Bai L, Zhang H, Zhang J, Li X, Wang B, Miao H, Sial TA, Dong Q, Fu G, Li L. Long‐term vegetation restoration increases carbon sequestration of different soil particles in a semi‐arid desert. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Bai
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri‐environment in Northwest China College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A&F University Yangling 712100 China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri‐environment in Northwest China College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A&F University Yangling 712100 China
| | - Jianguo Zhang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri‐environment in Northwest China College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A&F University Yangling 712100 China
- Taklimakan Desert Research Station Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography Chinese Academy of Sciences Korla 841000 China
| | - Xiao Li
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri‐environment in Northwest China College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A&F University Yangling 712100 China
| | - Bo Wang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri‐environment in Northwest China College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A&F University Yangling 712100 China
| | - Hongzhi Miao
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri‐environment in Northwest China College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A&F University Yangling 712100 China
| | - Tanveer Ali Sial
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri‐environment in Northwest China College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A&F University Yangling 712100 China
- Department of Soil Science Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam 70060 Pakistan
| | - Qiang Dong
- Desert Control Research Institute of Shaanxi Province Yulin 719000 China
| | - Guangjun Fu
- Desert Control Research Institute of Shaanxi Province Yulin 719000 China
| | - Limin Li
- Desert Control Research Institute of Shaanxi Province Yulin 719000 China
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