Testing of corner’s rules across woody plants in Tiantong region,Zhejiang Province: effects of micro-topography

Aims The size and quantity relationships between twigs and leaves can be used to describe the hydraulic properties of plants in response to environmental stresses. The objective of this study was to examine how twig-leaf relationship would vary with changes in micro-habitat conditions.
Methods The study site is located in the Tiantong National Forest Park (29.87° N, 121.65° E), Zhejiang Province. We measured twig cross-sectional area (twig size), sub-twig cross-sectional area (sub-twig size), individual leaf area, total leaf area (leaf size per twig), the number of twigs at a given twig size (twig intensity), and the number of leaves at a given twig size (leafing intensity) across individual woody plants on 10 plots in each of the convex and concave habitats within an evergreen broad-leaved forest. The standardized major axis (SMA) analysis was conducted to determine the scaling relationships between twig size and leaf size, between sub-twig size and twig intensity, and between leaf size and leafing intensity.
Important findings Significant, positive allometric relationships between twig cross-sectional area and total leaf area were found in plants in both types of micro-habitats (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the two micro-habitats in the slope of the regression between twig cross-sectional area and total leaf area, and the common slope of the regressions was significantly greater than 1 (p < 0.001). The intercept was significantlygreater in plants of the concave habitat than in plants of the convex habitat (p < 0.001), indicating that plants in a concave habitat support greater total leaf area at a given twig size than in a convex habitat. Significant, negative allometric scaling relationships were found between twig size and twig intensity in plants in both micro-habitats. There was also no significant difference between the two habitats in the slope of the regression between twig size and twig intensity, and the common slope of the regressions was significantly less than –1 (p < 0.001). The similar intercept in the regression relationship of twig area and twig intensity between the two habitats suggests that plants deploy similar amount of sub-twigs per twig size in both types of habitat. In addition, significant, negative allometric scaling relationships between leaf size and leafing intensity were found to be consistently conserved across micro-habitat types, with the common slope being smaller than –1. A higher value of y-intercept in the scaling relationships of leaf area vs. leafing intensity for plants in the concave habitat indicates that at a given leaf area, more leaves were supported by plants in a concave habitat than in a convex habitat. Overall, plants in a concave habitat tend to deploy more large leaves per twig size than those in a convex habitat. This study demonstrated that both the Corner’s rules and the leaf size-number trade-offs could be generalized to apply at the small local spatial scales. The magnitude and quantitative adjustment of twig-leaf deployment manifests a selection preference of hydraulic properties of plants in coping with changes in water availability between concave and convex habitats.     

Slope-related variations in twig and leaf traits of Robinia pseudoacacia in the northern mountains of Lanzhou

 枝叶生长关系是植物在环境胁迫条件下提高空间资源利用能力的一种策略, 弄清枝叶生长关系对理解植物应对环境异质性的表型可塑性具有重要意义。该文利用ArcGIS建立研究区域的数字高程模型, 研究了兰州市北山不同坡向人工林刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)小枝茎截面积-总叶面积和出叶强度-单叶面积的生长关系。结果表明: 随着坡向由北坡向东坡、南坡和西坡转变, 刺槐林群落的郁闭度、高度和土壤含水量呈现先减小后增大的趋势, 刺槐小枝茎截面积、总叶面积和单叶面积呈现先减小后增大的趋势, 出叶强度呈现先增大后减小的趋势; 北坡、东坡、南坡和西坡4个坡向的刺槐小枝的茎截面积和总叶面积均呈显著的正相关关系(p < 0.05), 并存在显著大于1的共同斜率, 刺槐的出叶强度与单叶面积均呈显著的负相关关系(p < 0.05), 并存在接近于–1的共同斜率; 随着坡向由北坡向东坡、南坡和西坡转变, 茎截面积-总叶面积和出叶强度-单叶面积两组关系的回归方程截距呈现先减小后增大的趋势。刺槐枝叶在不同坡向上的异速生长关系反映了植物功能性状对生长环境的响应和适应, 以及植物构型构建的投资权衡机制。     

浙江天童木本植物小枝的“大小-数量”权衡

枝条大小和数量关系反映了植物适应环境胁迫的构型和生物量分配策略。该研究以浙江天童木本植物为对象, 通过对小枝大小(横截面积)与数量(稠密度)关系的研究发现: 1)小枝稠密度与枝截面积显著负相关(斜率为-1.32, CI = -1.48- -1.17; p < 0.05); 2)在相同曝光度, 在II级曝光环境(植株40%-80%暴露在直射光中)中常绿植物比落叶植物单位小枝截面积的小枝稠密度高, 而在I级(植株<40%暴露在直射光中)和III级(>80%暴露在直射光中)曝光环境中, 小枝稠密度在两种生活型间无显著差异; 3)在不同曝光度下, 常绿植物单位枝条在I和II级比III级曝光水平具有更高的小枝稠密度; 但落叶植物单位枝条的小枝稠密度在3个曝光水平相同; 4)相同枝条大小下, 4 m以下灌木比4 m以上的亚乔木和乔木具有更高的小枝稠密度。总之, 天童地区木本植物的小枝“大小-数量”关系符合Corner法则(描述枝叶“大小-数量”关系的法则), 且在不同生活型间存在差异, 常绿植物相对于落叶植物, 灌木相对于乔木具有较高的小枝稠密度, 从而有利于它们适应光资源的限制。     

武夷山不同海拔黄山松枝叶大小关系

对武夷山自然保护区不同海拔黄山松叶片面积、叶片数量、小枝长度及小枝直径等性状进行测定,分析不同海拔黄山松枝-叶大小间的权衡关系.结果表明: 随海拔升高,黄山松小枝的叶片数量、小枝长度、小枝直径、出叶强度及茎截面积逐渐增大,单叶面积呈逐渐减小趋势;不同海拔黄山松小枝出叶强度与单叶面积均呈显著负相关,不同海拔黄山松小枝茎截面积与总叶面积呈显著正相关;不同海拔黄山松小枝长度、小枝直径与出叶强度呈显著负相关,与单叶面积、叶片数量及总叶面积均呈显著正相关.为提高竞争优势或是资源利用效率,低海拔黄山松倾向于在短枝上着生量少但单叶面积大的针叶,而高海拔黄山松趋向于在长枝上着生量大但单叶面积小的针叶,这体现出不同海拔梯度黄山松小枝的资源利用策略及枝叶间生物量分配的权衡机制.     

亚热带常绿阔叶林植物叶小枝的异速生长

 植物生态学研究的重要内容之一是识别和定量刻画种间生态变异的主要维数,叶大小小枝大小维（谱）是其中之一,目前的研究相对比较薄弱,两者之间是异速还是等速生长关系仍存在着争论。亚热带常绿阔叶林植物叶大小-枝大小维的研究报道很少。该文以我国东部亚热带典型区域福建梅花山常绿阔叶林的68种常绿乔灌木植物为对象,进行了叶-小枝关系及其生态意义的研究。结果表明：1）小枝茎截面积与叶干重、总叶面积和单叶面积之间的SMA斜率分别为1.29、1.23和1.18,呈现异速生长关系,支持叶大小 小枝大小为异速生长的相关研究结论,但SMA斜率低于预期值,其原因及生态意义有待进一步研究;2）小枝总叶面积与单叶面积呈显著正相关,而与叶片数量不相关,反映了小枝总叶面积的增加主要是由单叶面积大小决定的,可能与这一地区湿润气候有关;而单叶面积与枝条长度呈正相关则可能反映了植物对常绿阔叶林内较弱光照环境的适应;3）叶干重同小枝干重、叶面积为等速生长关系,可能反映了植物与动物之间代谢方式的差异。     

Hydraulic architecture of evergreen broad-leaved woody plants at different successional stages in Tiantong National Forest Park,Zhejiang Province,China

Aims Hydraulic architecture is a morphological strategy in plants to transport water in coping with environmental conditions. Change of hydraulic architecture for plants occupying different canopy layers within community and for the same plant at different successional stages reflect existence and adaptation in plant's water transportation strategies. The objective of this study was to examine how hydraulic architecture varies with canopy layers within a community and with forest succession.Methods The study site is located in Tiantong National Forest Park, Zhejiang Province, China. Hydraulic architectural traits studied include sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity, leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity, Huber value, sapwood channel area of twigs, total leaf area per terminal twig, and water potential of twigs. We measured those traits for species that occur in multiple successional stages (we called it "overlapping species") and for species that occur only in one successional stage (we called it "turnover species") along a successional series of evergreen broadleaved forests. For a given species, we sampled both overstory and understory trees. Hydraulic architectural traits between overstory and understory trees in the same community and at successional stages were compared. Pearson correlation was used to exam the relationship between hydraulic architectural traits and the twig/leaf traits.Important findings Sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivities and leaf-specific hydraulic conductivities were significantly higher in overstory trees than those in understory trees, but did not significantly differ from successional stages. Huber value decreased significantly for understory trees, but did not change for overstory trees through forest successional stages. For overstory trees, a trend of decreasing sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity was observed for overlapping species but not for turnover species with successional stages. In contrast, for understory trees, a trend of decreasing Huber values was observed for turner species but not for overlapping species with successional stages. Across tree species, sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity was positively correlated with sapwood channel area and total leaf area per terminal twig size. Huber value was negatively correlated to water potential of twigs and total leaf area per terminal twig size. These results suggest that water transportation capacity and efficiency are higher in overstory trees than in understory trees across successional stages in evergreen broadleaved forests in Tiantong region. The contrasting trends of sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity between overlapping species and turnover species indicate that shift of microenvironment conditions might lead to changes of hydraulic architecture in overstory trees, whereas species replacement might result in changes of hydraulic architecture in understory trees.     

浙江天童常绿阔叶林不同演替阶段木本植物的水力结构特征

水力结构是植物应对环境形成的与水分运输相关的形态策略.探索不同演替阶段和群落不同高度层植物的水力结构特征, 有助于理解植物的水分运输和利用策略.该研究以浙江天童常绿阔叶林演替前中后期群落的上层木(占据林冠层的树种)和下层木(灌木层物种)为对象, 测定了演替共有种(至少存在于两个演替阶段的物种)和更替种(仅存在于某一演替阶段的物种)的枝边材比导率,叶比导率和胡伯尔值, 以及边材疏导面积,末端枝总叶面积和枝条水势, 分析植物水力结构在群落上层木和下层木间以及在演替阶段间的差异, 及其与枝叶性状的相关关系.结果显示: (1)上层木植物边材比导率和叶比导率显著高于下层木植物(p < 0.05); (2)上层木和下层木的边材比导率与叶比导率在演替阶段间均无显著差异(p > 0.05); 上层木的胡伯尔值在演替阶段间无显著差异, 下层木的胡伯尔值随演替显著下降(p < 0.05); (3)上层木共有种仅边材比导率随演替进行显著降低(p < 0.05), 更替种的3个水力结构参数在演替阶段间无显著差异; 下层木共有种水力结构参数在演替阶段间无明显差异, 更替种仅胡伯尔值随演替减小(p < 0.05); (4)植物边材比导率与枝疏导面积和末端枝所支撑的总叶面积显著正相关(p < 0.01), 胡伯尔值与枝条水势及末端枝总叶面积显著负相关(p < 0.01).以上结果表明: 天童常绿阔叶林演替各阶段上层木比下层木具有更大的输水能力和效率; 随着演替进行, 上层木与下层木的共有种和更替种边材比导率的相反变化表明上层木水力结构的变化可能由微生境变化引起, 而下层木水力结构特征的变化可能由物种更替造成.     

胡杨当年生小枝茎构型对展叶效率的影响

枝叶异速生长关系对理解荒漠植物生物量分配和生活史策略具有重要意义。该研究以小枝茎长度、茎纤细率和茎体积表征茎构型, 以叶密度(单位茎长度的叶数量)、叶面积比(单位小枝茎干质量的总叶面积)和叶茎质量比(单位小枝茎干质量的总叶干质量)表征展叶效率, 采用标准化主轴回归(SMA)方法研究胡杨(Populus euphratica)当年生小枝茎构型对展叶效率的影响及二者沿地下水埋深(GWD)梯度的权衡策略。结果显示, 胡杨当年生小枝茎直径、展叶效率和比叶面积、叶大小随GWD增加而降低, 小枝茎长度、茎纤细率及其上的叶数量则增大。小枝茎构型性状均与展叶效率呈显著负相关关系, 即随小枝茎长度、茎纤细率和茎体积的增加, 展叶效率逐渐降低, 这可能是枝叶大小、水分传导与机械支撑间的权衡结果。小枝茎构型与展叶效率的异速生长指数(斜率)随GWD增加而增大, 是由于单位小枝茎投资获得的叶面积或者叶质量降低所致, 反映出随GWD增加胡杨采取了高消耗低收益的保守型策略。胡杨应对环境压力时, 倾向于在长枝上着生数量较多的小叶, 短枝上着生数量较少的大叶, 体现出胡杨小枝的资源利用策略与枝叶大小的权衡机制。综上所述, GWD显著影响胡杨小枝茎构型-展叶效率的权衡关系, 低展叶效率是胡杨应对日益旱化荒漠环境的适应策略。     

The leaf size-twig size spectrum of temperate woody species along an altitudinal gradient: an invariant allometric scaling relationship

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The leaf size-twig size spectrum is one of the leading dimensions of plant ecological variation, and now it is under development. The purpose of this study was to test whether the relationship between leaf size and twig size is isometric or allometric, and to examine the relationship between plant allometric growth and life history strategies in the spectrum. METHODS: Leaf and stem characters-including leaf and stem mass, total leaf area, individual leaf area, stem cross-sectional area, leaf number and stem length-at the twig level for 59 woody species were investigated along an altitudinal gradient on Changbaishan Mountain in the temperate zone of China. The environmental gradient ranges from temperate broad-leaved mixed forest at low altitude, to conifer forest at middle altitude, and to sub-alpine birch forest at high altitude. The scaling relationships between stem cross-sectional area and stem mass, stem mass and leaf mass, and leaf mass and leaf area at the twig level were simultaneously determined. KEY RESULTS: Twig cross-sectional area was found to have invariant allometric scaling relationships with the stem mass, leaf mass, total leaf area and individual leaf area, all with common slopes being significantly larger than 1, for three altitudinal-zoned vegetation types under investigation. However, leaf mass was found to be isometrically related to stem mass and leaf area along the environmental gradient. Based on the predictions of previous models, the exponent value of the relationship between twig cross-sectional area and total leaf area can be inferred to be 1.5, which falls between the confidence intervals of the relationship at each altitude, and between the confidence intervals of the common slope value (1.17-1.56) of this study. This invariant scaling relationship is assumed to result from the fractural network and/or developmental constraints of plants. The allometric constants (y-intercepts) of the relationships between the stem cross-sectional area and leaf area (both total leaf area and individual leaf area) were found to decrease significantly along the altitudinal gradient. This suggests that the species would support less leaf area at a given twig cross-sectional area with increasing environmental stress. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that plants respond to the environmental gradient by changing the y-intercepts of the relationship between leaf size-twig size, while keeping the exponent value of the allometric relationship as an invariant constant. The allometric growth in the twig size-leaf size spectrum is related to many other components of plant life history strategy, including the well established life history trade-off between efficiency and safety in the hydraulic transport of water.     

亚热带常绿阔叶林木本植物幼树阶段抽枝展叶的权衡关系

亚热带常绿阔叶林植物幼树阶段适应林内生境并开枝散叶是其长成大树的一个重要过程, 植物一年内多次抽枝的现象及其在抽枝展叶过程中小枝伸长、枝茎增粗与叶面积的增加优先顺序及其内在驱动机制还有待进一步研究。该研究对青城山常绿阔叶林木本植物多次抽枝发生比例进行了调查, 并以茶(Camellia sinensis)、细枝柃(Eurya loquaiana)、短刺米槠(Castanopsis carlesii var. spinulosa)、润楠(Machilus nanmu)和大叶山矾(Symplocos grandis) 5种植物的幼树为研究对象, 比较分析了植物在多次抽枝中小枝和叶片生长动态及适应策略的差异。结果显示: 1)一、二次抽枝分别开始于春季(4月)和夏末(8月下旬), 小枝水平上二次抽枝率乔木小于灌木, 常绿植物小于落叶植物。2)一次抽枝小枝枝长、单叶面积, 小枝直径和叶片数量(除大叶山矾外)均高于二次抽枝, 但二次抽枝单叶面积相对生长速率均高于一次抽枝, 二次抽枝叶片比叶质量(LMA)的增长速率高于一次抽枝。3)一次抽枝小枝枝长、叶片数量、小枝直径(除细枝柃和短刺米槠外)和总叶面积(除短刺米槠外)最大相对生长速率均高于二次抽枝, 且大部分物种最大相对生长速率出现在抽枝开始的第一、二周。4)两次抽枝中, 物种先侧重于叶片的生长, 其次是小枝枝长的生长, 最后是小枝直径的增粗。单叶面积和总叶面积皆随着小枝枝长和小枝直径的增加呈显著的异速生长关系, 表明叶片的增长速度大于小枝。单叶面积与叶片数呈显著大于1的异速生长关系, 暗示单叶面积的增长速度大于叶片数的增加速度。小枝枝长与小枝直径也呈显著大于1的异速生长关系, 揭示小枝枝长的增长速度大于小枝直径。综上所述, 两次抽枝过程中, 植物枝叶的优先生长顺序反映了植物为获取更多的资源(尤其是光源)而形成特定的抽枝展叶策略; 二次抽枝单叶面积相对生长速率和LMA增长速率高于一次抽枝, 这可能与植物即将面临的昆虫取食和气温降低压力有关。因此, 了解植物抽枝策略对于理解物种生态适应机制, 揭示物种生活史过程中存在的权衡关系具有重要的理论意义。     

The leaf size – twig size spectrum and its relationship to other important spectra of variation among species

There is a spectrum from species with narrow, frequently branched twigs carrying small leaves and other appendages, to species with thick twigs carrying large leaves and appendages. Here we investigate the allometry of this spectrum and its relationship to two other important spectra of ecological variation between species, the seed mass-seed output spectrum and the specific leaf area-leaf lifespan spectrum. Our main dataset covered 33 woody dicotyledonous species in sclerophyll fire-prone vegetation on low nutrient soil at 1,200 mm annual rainfall near Sydney, Australia. These were phylogenetically selected to contribute 32 evolutionary divergences. Two smaller datasets, from 390 mm annual rainfall, were also examined to assess generality of cross-species patterns. There was two to three orders of magnitude variation in twig cross-sectional area, individual leaf size and total leaf area supported on a twig across the study species. As expected, species with thicker twigs had larger leaves and branched less often than species with thin twigs. Total leaf area supported on a twig was mainly driven by leaf size rather than by the number of leaves. Total leaf area was strongly correlated with twig cross-section area, both across present-day species and across evolutionary divergences. The common log-log slope of 1.45 was significantly steeper than 1. Thus on average, species with tenfold larger leaves supported about threefold more leaf area per twig cross-section, which must have considerable implications for other aspects of water relations. Species at the low rainfall site on loamy sand supported about half as much leaf area, at a given twig cross-section, as species at the low rainfall site on light clay, or at the high rainfall site. Within sites, leaf and twig size were positively correlated with seed mass, and negatively correlated with specific leaf area. Identifying and understanding leading spectra of ecological variation among species is an important challenge for plant ecology. The seed mass-seed output and specific leaf area-leaf lifespan spectra are each underpinned by a single, comprehensible trade-off and their consequences are fairly well understood. The leaf-size-twig-size spectrum has obvious consequences for the texture of canopies, but we are only just beginning to understand the costs and benefits of large versus small leaf and twig size.     

浙江天童木本植物水力结构与树高的关联性

垂直分层是森林群落的基本结构,但有关群落不同垂直层次植物水力结构策略的研究仍然比较缺乏。以浙江天童木荷林内25株高度不同的9种木本植物为对象,通过测量其枝条直径、边材面积、干材密度、导管直径、内腔面积以及枝条水分比导率,旨在检验植物水力结构与树高的关联性。结果显示：除干材密度外,枝条直径、导管直径、枝条和导管内腔面积、边材面积、水分比导率均随树高增加而显著增大。作为重要的水力结构特征,比导率与导管直径和内腔面积、枝直径和内腔面积、边材面积显著正关联。该结果强调了局域群落内不同垂直层次植物水力结构特征的显著差异,以及植物水分生态位在不同垂直层次的分化过程。     

不同海拔典型竹种枝叶大小异速生长关系

为了分析竹子枝-叶大小间的权衡关系,本研究对武夷山不同海拔典型竹种(毛竹、箬竹、肿节少穗竹、毛竿玉山竹和武夷山玉山竹)小枝的叶片总质量、茎质量、单叶质量和出叶强度等性状进行测定.结果表明: 随海拔升高,5个竹种间小枝上总叶质量与茎质量的异速生长指数呈显著下降趋势.竹种内,毛竹、箬竹和肿节少穗竹总叶质量与茎质量在不同海拔上均拥有共同异速生长指数(分别为0.94、0.85、0.84).毛竿玉山竹和武夷山玉山竹的叶茎质量也存在共同异速生长指数(0.79).除武夷山玉山竹外,竹子单叶质量与出叶强度之间均呈显著的负相关关系.5个竹种的单叶质量和出叶强度之间存在共同异速生长指数-1.12.总之,竹类植物的小枝总体上倾向于在低海拔环境中着生更多的叶片,而在高海拔生境下则投资更多的生物量到茎的构造上.尽管竹种间小枝的茎投资随海拔升高而增加,但其基于茎质量的出叶强度策略取决于叶片大小的构建而不是海拔生境差异.     

胡杨叶片大小与叶数量的权衡关系对地下水埋深的响应

本文以胡杨(Populus euphratica Oliv.)为研究对象,采用标准化主轴回归估计(SMA)方法探讨了种群叶片大小(单叶面积、单叶质量)与出叶强度(基于小枝质量、茎质量、茎体积)的异速生长关系对地下水埋深梯度(Groundwater depth,GWD)的响应及其变化规律.结果显示:随GWD增加,胡杨当年...     

清凉峰不同海拔木本植物小枝内叶大小-数量权衡关系

权衡关系是生活史对策理论的基础, 叶大小-数量的权衡关系对理解叶大小进化具有重要的意义。该研究以单叶面积和单叶片干重表示叶大小, 用小枝干重和小枝茎干重表示小枝大小, 采用标准化主轴估计(standardized major axis estimation, SMA)和系统独立比较分析(phylogenetically independent contrast analysis, PIC)的方法, 对浙江省清凉峰自然保护区3个不同海拔落叶阔叶木本植物当年生小枝内的叶大小与数量间的关系进行研究。结果显示, 无论叶大小和小枝大小是用面积或干重表示, 在每个海拔, 叶大小与出叶强度均存在显著的等速负相关关系, 表明在落叶阔叶木本植物中发现的叶大小与出叶强度之间的权衡关系在不同生境物种中是普遍存在的, 植物在叶大小方面的种间变化, 可能不是自然选择的直接产物, 而是叶片数量变化权衡关系的一个副产物。不同海拔间的比较显示, 高海拔物种的叶面积或干重与出叶强度相关关系的y轴截距比中、低海拔物种小, 表明在出叶强度一定的情况下, 高海拔物种比低海拔物种具有更小的叶大小。与高海拔物种相比, 中海拔物种的共同斜率沿共同主轴有一个向上的位移, 表明中海拔物种比高海拔物种具有更大的叶大小, 但出叶强度更小。这些结果表明生境对叶大小-数量的权衡关系具有显著的影响, 中海拔生境具有更适宜植物生长的气候及养分条件, 而高海拔的低温等不利影响使得叶片变小。     

The effects of leaf size,leaf habit,and leaf form on leaf/stem relationships in plant twigs of temperate woody species

Question: Do thick‐twigged/large‐leaf species have an advantage in leaf display over their counterparts, and what are the effects of leaf habit and leaf form on the leaf‐stem relationship in plant twigs of temperature broadleaf woody species? Location: Gongga Mountain, southwest China. Methods: (1) We investigated stem cross‐sectional area and stem mass, leaf area and leaf/lamina mass of plant twigs (terminal branches of current‐year shoots) of 89 species belonging to 55 genera in 31 families. (2) Data were analyzed to determine leaf‐stem scaling relationships using both the Model type II regression method and the phylogenetically independent comparative (PIC) method. Results: (1) Significant, positive allometric relationships were found between twig cross‐sectional area and total leaf area supported by the twig, and between the cross‐sectional area and individual leaf area, suggesting that species with large leaves and thick twigs could support a disproportionately greater leaf area for a given twig cross‐sectional area. (2) However, the scaling relationships between twig stem mass and total leaf area and between stem mass and total lamina mass were approximately isometric, which indicates that the efficiency of deploying leaf area and lamina mass was independent of leaf size and twig size. The results of PIC were consistent with these correlations. (3) The evergreen species were usually smaller in total leaf area for a given twig stem investment in terms of both cross‐sectional area and stem mass, compared to deciduous species. Leaf mass per area (LMA) was negatively associated with the stem efficiency in deploying leaf area. (4) Compound leaf species could usually support a larger leaf area for a given twig stem mass and were usually larger in both leaf size and twig size than simple leaf species. Conclusions: Generally, thick‐twigged/large‐leaf species do not have an advantage over their counterparts in deploying photosynthetic compartments for a given twig stem investment. Leaf habit and leaf form types can modify leaf‐stem scaling relationships, possibly because of contrasting leaf properties. The leaf size‐twig size spectrum is related to the LMA‐leaf life span dimension of plant life history strategies.     

The influence of nest availability on the abundance and diversity of twig-dwelling ants in a Papua New Guinea forest

Tropical ant communities are frequently diverse, but highly patchy in nature. The availability of suitable nest sites may be a regulating force in structuring litter ant communities. Our aim was to examine ant resource utilization in naturally occurring twigs, and to modify the availability of these resources in order to quantify the influence of nest availability on ant communities in a Papua New Guinean forest. First, we compared ant communities that assemble in artificial twigs (drilled, wooden dowels), naturally occurring twigs, and the leaf litter. A total of 55 ant species were captured: 33 from the leaf litter, 29 from naturally occurring twigs, and only 12 from artificial nests. Significantly different communities formed in each of the three nest types. Second, we examined how the density of natural or artificial nest material influenced the ant abundance and species richness. Plots had between 5 and 96 potential nest sites. An average of only 11.2% of these twigs was colonized. Both species richness and the total abundance of adult ants were significantly positively correlated with increasing naturally occurring twig density. Conversely, increasing the availability of artificial nests from 5 to 20 per plot had no significant effect on the proportion of artificial nests colonized, species richness, or the colony size. We observed that ant species richness and abundance increased with natural twig density, at least for naturally occurring communities. But why so many twigs remain vacant and available for ant colonization remains unknown. Other biotic and abiotic factors likely influence the use of nesting habitat in these ant communities.     

祁连山北坡霸王枝-叶性状关系的个体大小差异

枝与叶片权衡关系的个体大小差异性, 是物种形成不同冠层结构充分利用空间资源的一种策略, 有利于植株通过构型调整自身的光合效率和增强竞争力。在祁连山北坡荒漠草地, 根据体积将霸王(Zygophyllum xanthoxylum)分为3个大小等级(I级: (植株体积的立方根(d) ≤ 60 cm)、II级(60 cm < d ≤ 120 cm)和III级(d > 120 cm)), 采用标准化主轴估计方法, 研究了不同大小等级霸王种群枝长度与叶面积、叶数量的生长关系。结果表明: 随着植株大小等级增大, 霸王的枝长度、叶面积、枝横截面积逐渐增大, 叶数量呈逐渐减小趋势; 霸王枝长度的增长速度大于或等于叶面积的增长速度, 枝长度的增加速度大于叶数量的增加速度; 随着个体大小等级的增加, 霸王枝长度与叶面积的异速斜率、枝长度与叶数量回归方程的y轴截距均显著减小, 即植株叶面积与枝长度比值、叶数量的投入均显著降低。为提高资源利用效率, 霸王小个体植株倾向于短枝上着生大量的小叶, 大个体植株趋向于长枝上着生少量的大叶, 随植株大小等级增加, 叶面积增加而叶数量降低, 对小枝的资源配置具有一定的影响。     

兰州北山刺槐枝叶性状的坡向差异性

枝叶生长关系是植物在环境胁迫条件下提高空间资源利用能力的一种策略, 弄清枝叶生长关系对理解植物应对环境异质性的表型可塑性具有重要意义。该文利用ArcGIS建立研究区域的数字高程模型, 研究了兰州市北山不同坡向人工林刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)小枝茎截面积-总叶面积和出叶强度-单叶面积的生长关系。结果表明: 随着坡向由北坡向东坡、南坡和西坡转变, 刺槐林群落的郁闭度、高度和土壤含水量呈现先减小后增大的趋势, 刺槐小枝茎截面积、总叶面积和单叶面积呈现先减小后增大的趋势, 出叶强度呈现先增大后减小的趋势; 北坡、东坡、南坡和西坡4个坡向的刺槐小枝的茎截面积和总叶面积均呈显著的正相关关系(p < 0.05), 并存在显著大于1的共同斜率, 刺槐的出叶强度与单叶面积均呈显著的负相关关系(p < 0.05), 并存在接近于-1的共同斜率; 随着坡向由北坡向东坡、南坡和西坡转变, 茎截面积-总叶面积和出叶强度-单叶面积两组关系的回归方程截距呈现先减小后增大的趋势。刺槐枝叶在不同坡向上的异速生长关系反映了植物功能性状对生长环境的响应和适应, 以及植物构型构建的投资权衡机制。     

Within-twig biomass allocation in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved species along an altitudinal gradient: allometric scaling analysis

We studied the effects of twig size and altitude on biomass allocation within plant twigs (terminal branches of current-year shoots), to determine whether species with large twigs/leaves or living at low altitude allocate a higher proportion of biomass to laminas than their counterparts with small twigs/leaves or living at high altitude. Stem mass, lamina mass and area, and petiole mass were measured for terminal branches of current-year shoots in 80 subtropical evergreen broad-leaved species belonging to 38 genera from 24 families along an altitudinal gradient of Mt. Emei, Southwest China. The scaling relationships between the biomass allocations of within-twig components were determined using model type II regression method. Isometric relationships were found between leaf mass and twig mass and between lamina mass and twig mass, suggesting that the biomass allocation to either leaves or laminas was independent of twig mass. Petiole mass disproportionally increased with both lamina mass and twig mass, indicating the importance of leaf petioles to the within-twig biomass allocation. These cross-species correlations were consistent with those among evolutionary divergences. In addition, species at low altitude tended to have a greater leaf and lamina mass but a smaller stem mass at a given twig mass than at middle and high altitudes. This is possibly due to the high requirement in physical support and the low efficiency of eco-physiological transport for the species living at high altitude. In general, within-twig biomass allocation pattern was not significantly affected by twig size but was greatly modulated by altitude.