桂西南喀斯特季雨林木本植物的水力安全

桂西南喀斯特地区生物多样性丰富、特有种多, 同时也是石漠化问题较为严重的区域。由于该喀斯特地区土层浅薄、岩石裸露、表层储水能力差, 植物在干旱季节经常会受到水分胁迫。植物水力学特征不仅是探讨喀斯特地区植物的生理生态适应性的关键, 还能够为石漠化地区的植被恢复提供重要参考。该研究测定了桂西南喀斯特季雨林17种代表性木本植物(包括不同生活型、叶片习性和生境)的木质部脆弱性曲线、最低水势、叶片膨压丧失点和边材密度等水力性状, 结果发现: (1)喀斯特植物木质部导水率丧失50%时的水势值(P₅₀)的种间差异较大(-0.51- -2.51 MPa), 其中常绿种的抗栓塞能力比落叶种强; (2)喀斯特植物的木质部水力安全边界值(最低水势与P₅₀之间的差值)的均值为0.36 MPa, 说明喀斯特森林植物在自然最低水势状况下木质部发生栓塞的程度较高; 但是不同植物种间存在显著差异, 这可能与喀斯特峰丛洼地生境的复杂性以及物种不同的抗旱策略有关; (3)由于喀斯特植物水分适应机制的多样化, 导致木质部水力安全边界与叶片膨压丧失点、边材密度的相关性并不显著。在区域气候干热化的背景下, 结合喀斯特植物的栓塞脆弱性和长期水势监测(尤其极端干旱事件)分析它们的水力安全, 对预测未来喀斯特森林物种分布和群落动态具有重要的指示作用。     

张掖湿地旱柳叶水势与中脉性状的关联性

植物叶水势和中脉性状是反映叶片水力特性的主要参数,二者之间的关联性对理解植物水分供需平衡的生态适应策略具有重要意义。选择张掖市黑河干流边缘的洪泛平原湿地为实验地,以河岸为起点沿平行河岸线的方向依次设置近水区(样地Ⅰ)、中水区(样地Ⅱ)和远水区(样地Ⅲ)3个水分梯度样地,采用标准化主轴估计方法(standardized major axis estimation,SMA),研究了对水分影响下旱柳(Salix matsudana)叶水势与中脉性状之间的关系。结果表明:随着土壤含水量减少,旱柳林的高度、密度和郁闭度均持续降低,旱柳叶片的中脉密度、净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、光合有效辐射(PAR)和叶片温度(Tleaf)逐渐增加,中脉直径、比叶面积及叶水势、叶绿素含量逐渐减少;不同土壤含水量样地旱柳叶水势与中脉性状间的相关性存在差异(P0.05),在样地Ⅰ和样地Ⅲ叶水势与中脉密度呈极显著负相关关系(P0.01),在样地Ⅱ两者之间呈显著负相关关系(P0.05);旱柳叶水势与中脉直径在3个水分梯度样地均呈显著正相关关系(P0.05)。随着湿地土壤含水量减少,旱柳采取降低叶水势、增加中脉密度并减少中脉直径的资源投资策略,反映了该物种在异质生境中具有较强的叶片性状可塑性,从而有利于其适应特殊的湿地生境。     

玉米生育期土壤—植物—大气连续体水流阻力与水势的分布

根据玉米生育期的田间试验资料分析了土壤-植物-大气连续体中水势和水流阻力的分布,结果表明土壤与植物叶片之间的水势差在玉米抽雄期前达0.8—1.0MPa,到抽雄期以后达1.0—1.5MPa,叶片与大气之间的水势差则在抽雄期前后分别达80—120MPa和60—80MPa;连续体内的水流阻力主要在叶片与大气之间。建立了连续体中玉米叶片水势的动态模拟公式,模拟叶水势具有较高的精度。最后,揭示了叶片蒸腾速率与叶-气系统水势差和水流阻力的关系,当叶片与大气之间的水势差达90—100MPa之后,蒸腾速率随叶-气间水势差增加而减小。     

3种荒漠灌木的用水策略及相关的叶片生理表现

以新疆古尔班通古特沙漠南缘原始盐生旱生荒漠的3种建群灌木多枝柽柳(Ｔamarix ramosissima)、梭梭(Ｈaloxylon ammodendron)和琵琶柴(Reaumuria soongorica)为对象,跟踪自然降雨过程,利用LI-6400光合作用系统和Model 3005植物水分压力审测定光合作用和叶水势的变化,以研究浅层土壤水分条件改变对荒漠灌木主要叶片生理特征的影响;并在原始生境中将植株根系完整地深挖取出,进行根系形态结构调查,以确定此3种灌木根系功能型与用水策略。当浅层土壤分别处在水分充足及匮缺的条件下时．测定3种灌木的光合作用响应曲线和日过程曲线．以及黎明前和止午叶水势,结果表明：浅层土壤水分状况变化时,3种灌木的光合能力均没有显著改变;多枝柽柳的叶水势亦没有明显波动;而梭梭和琵琶柴的叶水势却表现出显著差异。在两种功能型根中,多枝柽柳为深根型,生存和乍理活动的维持主要依赖于地下水;而梭梭和琵琶柴为非深根型植物,主要水源是降水形成的浅层土壤水,其用水策略是根据水分条件行效调节根系和冠层生长,从而维持正常的光合作用。即荒漠灌木在长期适应的过样中．已形成不同的根系功能型和用水策略;叶水势对浅层土壤水分状况变化的种间差异性响应在一定程度上反映了这一点。同时．此3种荒漠灌小通过不同的个体适应策略都能够实现水分平衡和碳收支的有效调节,这主要体现为浅层土壤水分条件变化时光合响应的种间一致性。     

草原植物根系起始吸水层深度测定方法及其在不同群落状态下的表现

通过比较实验导出用于研究草原群落中不同植物种群起始吸水层研究方法,暂称之为"土体挖空法"。该方法是将土壤剖面的下部挖空,保留上面0—5、0—10、0—15 cm的土层和上面的全部植物,当从地表浇的水在被挖空部分的向下表面开始渗出时测定哪些植物种群吸收了水分。实验中用于检验植物是否吸水的方法是用水势仪测定法。在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟白音锡勒牧场中国科学院草原生态系统定位研究站的实验样地上,通过对处于不同退化恢复演替阶段的草原群落中主要植物种群的研究得出以下结论:1)同一群落中不同植物种间根系起始吸水层存在差异,在恢复群落中存在根系起始吸水位置的生态位分离和重叠现象,其中黄囊苔草(Carex korshinskyi)、冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)、糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)的起始吸水层位置表明它们在对土壤中水资源利用空间维上存在空间生态位重叠现象;羊草(Leymus chinensis)、大针茅(Stipa grandis)、米氏冰草(Agropyron michnoi)之间也存在类似的生态位重叠;两组植物种群间存在对土壤中水资源利用空间维上的空间生态位分离现象。2)无论是否退化的草原群落,其中黄囊苔草、冷蒿、糙隐子草的根系起始吸水层深度保持不变;在严重退化的群落中羊草、大针茅、米氏冰草同种个体的起始吸水层则变浅,即呈浅层化分布现象。退化群落中,植物体小型化和根系浅层化的同时植物根系对水分吸收的起始位置总体呈浅层化。3)典型草原群落中各植物种群间存在较大幅度的生态位重叠和一定的生态位分离,其中生态位分离的幅度较小,重叠的程度较大。     

干旱-复水对两种石斛属植物叶水势的影响

石斛属植物多附着在其他植物体或岩石上,水分获取困难,其特殊的水分利用策略是其生存和发展的重要保证。为弄清石斛属植物对干旱胁迫的适应能力和机制,该文选用3年生金钗石斛和铁皮石斛,通过盆栽控水进行干旱胁迫和复水处理,探讨在不同干旱历时和干旱后复水条件下两种石斛的叶水势变化情况。结果表明:随着干旱时间的延长,两种石斛叶水势均呈升高趋势;金钗石斛叶水势由充分供水时的(-1.04±0.02)MPa增加到干旱60 d时的(-0.86±0.03)MPa,铁皮石斛叶水势由(-1.04±0.02)MPa增加到(-0.87±0.03)MPa;两种石斛均表现出高水势延迟脱水的抗旱适应机制;干旱结束后复水,两种石斛的叶水势随着复水时间的增加均呈下降趋势;复水20 d时,金钗石斛和铁皮石斛叶水势分别为(-0.96±0.05)MPa和(-0.96±0.02)MPa,其叶水势均未恢复到干旱前充分供水时的水平;相关分析结果显示,两种石斛的土壤含水率和叶水势间相关关系显著(P<0.05)。由此认为,两种石斛属植物均表现出较强的干旱胁迫耐受能力和相对较差的胁迫后恢复能力。     

玉米生育期土壤-植物-大气连续体水流阻力与水势的分布

根据玉米生育期的田间试验资料分析了土壤-植物-大气连续体中水势和水流阻力的分布,结果表明土壤与植物叶片之间的水势差在玉米抽雄期前达0.8—1.0MPa,到抽雄期以后达1.0—1.5MPa,叶片与大气之间的水势差则在抽雄期前后分别达80—120MPa和60—80MPa;连续体内的水流阻力主要在叶片与大气之间.建立了连续体中玉米叶片水势的动态模拟公式,模拟叶水势具有较高的精度.最后,揭示了叶片蒸腾速率与叶-气系统水势差和水流阻力的关系,当叶片与大气之间的水势差达90—100MPa之后,蒸腾速率随叶-气间水势差增加而减小.     

短期干旱对水稻叶水势、光合作用及干物质分配的影响

采用盆栽水分试验,研究了不同生育期短期干旱处理对水稻叶水势、光合作用和干物质分配的影响．结果表明,干旱胁迫后,水稻叶水势低于对照,午后叶水势回升缓慢。凌晨叶水势随土壤含水量的降低而降低,表现为阈值反应。叶片净光合速率与凌晨叶水势密切相关,低于凌晨叶水势临界值,水稻叶片净光合速率急剧下降在水稻抽穗期和灌浆期叶片净光合速率显著下降的凌晨叶水势临界值为-1.04和-1．13MPa,对应的土壤含水量阈值分别为饱和含水量的61.0％和50．9％,土壤水势分别为-0．133和-0．240MPa干旱胁迫下单叶净光合速率的日变化规律表现为：胁迫较轻时,单叶净光合速率在正午附近出现低谷;胁迫严重时,净光合速率全天低于对照,且不及对照的一半。短期干旱后,水稻叶、根、穗的分配指数均降低,茎鞘的分配指数升高。本研究可为水稻节水灌溉管理和水分限制下水稻的生长模拟提供生理基础和理论依据。     

土壤水分与温度共同作用对植物根系水分传导的效应

 本文根据不同大气环境温度和土壤温度及不同土壤含水率处理条件下的玉米、向日葵、台湾相思(Acacia confusa)、银合欢(Leucaena glauca)的试验资料，分析了土壤水分和温度以及土壤水分与温度共同作用对植物根系水分传导的效应。台湾相思和银合欢的试验结果表明，在一定的土壤水分范围内，高温(白天/夜晚的温度为40／30℃)环境中的根系水分传导大于低温(30/25℃)环境中的，但当根系水分胁迫十分严重(台湾相思根系水势小于-1.5MPa，银合欢根系水势小于-2.0MPa)时，30/25℃环境的根系水分传导反而大于40／30℃环境的；玉米、向日葵的试验结果表明，在一定土壤温度范围内，根系水分传导随土壤温度增加而增加，其增加的幅度与生育阶段有关；在向日葵生育期土壤温度高于35℃、玉米生育期高于30℃时，其根系水分传导随温度增加而降低。通过植物根区土壤逐渐干旱和干旱复水后的试验，其结果表明复水后根系水分传导上升较快，银合欢复水1.5d、向日葵复水3d后测得的根系水分传导即可达到受旱前的水平，其后的水分传导还略高于一直充分供水处理的，表明根系经受一定程度的干旱锻炼后，对其水分传导具有明显的补偿效应。在干旱和复水过程中根系水分传导与根水势的变化规律相一致。     

基于控水试验的喀斯特出露基岩生境植物水分来源分析

裂隙发育的喀斯特出露基岩生境,虽无土层覆盖却能维持不同生活型植物的水分消耗.然而目前对该类生境植物的水分来源缺乏清晰认识.本研究以植物潜在水分来源相对简单的孤立出露基岩为例,聚焦遮雨(即剔除雨水对浅层水源的补给)1年后仍然生长旺盛的代表性植物种,同时以无遮雨处理样地(即始终接受降雨补给)的同种植物为对照,运用稳定性氢氧同位素技术,结合对植物水势的测定,综合分析了3种典型植物(落叶乔木菜豆树、落叶乔木紫弹树、常绿灌木四子海桐)的水分来源.结果表明: 在降水充沛的雨季,遮雨条件下3种植物均依赖与泉水同位素比率相近的深层水源,这是植物在遮雨1年后仍能正常生长的根本原因;遮雨菜豆树和四子海桐凌晨水势与自然植株无显著差异,表明植物未受水分胁迫,而紫弹树凌晨水势显著低于自然植株,表明其受一定程度的水分胁迫;自然条件下,3种植物茎水同位素比率均显著低于遮雨植株,且处于近期雨水同位素比率波动范围内,表明植物均依赖受近期雨水主导的浅层水源.遮雨和自然条件下,四子海桐正午水势与凌晨水势始终无明显差异,表现出较为保守的水分利用策略;另外2种植物正午水势显著低于凌晨水势,属于偏挥霍型水分利用策略.具备利用浅层和深层水源的能力是喀斯特无土覆盖出露基岩生境植物适应不同水分环境和维持多样化水分利用策略的关键.     

Anisohydric but isohydrodynamic: seasonally constant plant water potential gradient explained by a stomatal control mechanism incorporating variable plant hydraulic conductance

Isohydric and anisohydric regulations of plant water status have been observed over several decades of field, glasshouse and laboratory studies, yet the functional significance and mechanism of both remain obscure. We studied the seasonal trends in plant water status and hydraulic properties in a natural stand of Eucalyptus gomphocephala through cycles of varying environmental moisture (rainfall, groundwater depth, evaporative demand) in order to test for isohydry and to provide physiological information for the mechanistic interpretation of seasonal trends in plant water status. Over a 16 month period of monitoring, spanning two summers, midday leaf water potential (psi(leaf)) correlated with predawn psi(leaf), which was correlated with water table depth below ground level, which in turn was correlated with total monthly rainfall. Eucalyptus gomphocephala was therefore not seasonally isohydric. Despite strong stomatal down-regulation of transpiration rate in response to increasing evaporative demand, this was insufficient to prevent midday psi(leaf) from falling to levels below -2 MPa in the driest month, well into the region likely to induce xylem air embolisms, based on xylem vulnerability curves obtained in the study. However, even though midday psi(leaf) varied by over 1.2 MPa across seasons, the hydrodynamic (transpiration-induced) water potential gradient from roots to shoots (delta psi(plant)), measured as the difference between predawn and midday psi(leaf), was relatively constant across seasons, averaging 0.67 MPa. This unusual pattern of hydraulic regulation, referred to here as isohydrodynamic, is explained by a hydromechanical stomatal control model where plant hydraulic conductance is dependent on transpiration rate.     

Daily and seasonal variation in water relations of macchia shrubs and trees in France (Montpellier) and Turkey (Antalya)

Based upon two different research studies in the mediterranean regions of France and Turkey, drought resistance strategies were investigated in a broad group of species. The diurnal and seasonal patterns of the water relations of different lifeforms from the thermo-mediterranean to submediterranean lifezones were compared. Three sites near Montpellier, in Southern France, and five sites near Antalya, Turkey were used for this comparison. Xylem pressure potential and relative stomatal aperture were the key water relations parameters collected in France while these parameters as well as osmotic potential and leaf conductance were studied in Turkey.From the 26 different study species investigated in France, 7 distinct types of stomatal control were observed, with the deciduous lifeforms showing the least control, the sclerophyllous and coniferous evergreens the greatest control and the malacophyllous shrublets intermediate levels of control. Predawn water potential values provided a means of classifying species according to their temporal and spatial utilization of site water reserves. The comparison of turgor potentials (difference between water and osmotic potentials) gave an insight into leaf adaptations to site moisture. Species with high predawn water potentials generally maintain positive turgor even at midday during the summer, whereas species with low predawn values were frequently at zero turgor even at predawn. Phlomis grandiflora was the most extreme species with mid-summer predawns and midday water potentials of –6 MPa and osmotic potentials never more negative than –2.4 MPa.     

Stem and leaf hydraulics of congeneric tree species from adjacent tropical savanna and forest ecosystems

Leaf and stem functional traits related to plant water relations were studied for six congeneric species pairs, each composed of one tree species typical of savanna habitats and another typical of adjacent forest habitats, to determine whether there were intrinsic differences in plant hydraulics between these two functional types. Only individuals growing in savanna habitats were studied. Most stem traits, including wood density, the xylem water potential at 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity, sapwood area specific conductivity, and leaf area specific conductivity did not differ significantly between savanna and forest species. However, maximum leaf hydraulic conductance (K _leaf) and leaf capacitance tended to be higher in savanna species. Predawn leaf water potential and leaf mass per area were also higher in savanna species in all congeneric pairs. Hydraulic vulnerability curves of stems and leaves indicated that leaves were more vulnerable to drought-induced cavitation than terminal branches regardless of genus. The midday K _leaf values estimated from leaf vulnerability curves were very low implying that daily embolism repair may occur in leaves. An electric circuit analog model predicted that, compared to forest species, savanna species took longer for their leaf water potentials to drop from predawn values to values corresponding to 50% loss of K _leaf or to the turgor loss points, suggesting that savanna species were more buffered from changes in leaf water potential. The results of this study suggest that the relative success of savanna over forest species in savanna is related in part to their ability to cope with drought, which is determined more by leaf than by stem hydraulic traits. Variation among genera accounted for a large proportion of the total variance in most traits, which indicates that, despite different selective pressures in savanna and forest habitats, phylogeny has a stronger effect than habitat in determining most hydraulic traits.     

Responses of Tropical Understory Plants to a Severe Drought: Tolerance and Avoidance of Water Stress1

Shade-tolerant understory shrubs and subcanopy trees constitute most of the woody species in Neotropical moist forest, but studies demonstrating physiological differences among these species are few. Shade-tolerant species that coexist in the forest understory exhibit differences in leaf life span that have been associated with variation in physiological traits. We hypothesized that water relations of understory species with widely divergent leaf life spans differ in response to drought. Although severe drought is infrequent in Neotropical moist forest, we studied the water relations of shade-tolerant understory species with short or long leaf life spans during the severe 1991-1992 dry season on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. The predawn leaf water potential declined to -2.8 and -3.6 MPa during the dry season in Hybanthus prunifolius and Psychotria horizontalis, respectively, two species with short leaf life spans, but remained above -1.3 MPa in two species with long leaf life spans, Swartzia simplex and Ouratea lucens. The midday leaf water potential dropped as low as -3.4 and -4.5 MPa for H. prunifolius and P. horizontalis, respectively. The osmotic potential of H. prunifolius and P. horizontalis and another species with short leaf life span, Alms blackiana, decreased early in the dry season, a period during which all three had substantially negative predawn water potential. In contrast, the osmotic potential of S. Simplex, O. lucens, and Licania platypus, a third species with long leaf life span, declined late in the dry season, even though we observed little change in predawn water potential for S. simplex and O. lucens. We conclude that the variable and potentially severe dry season in Neotropical moist forest can be sufficiently intense to severely limit soil moisture availability for understory plants. H. prunifolius and P. horizontalis tolerated dehydration, whereas S. simplex and O. lucens postponed dehydration.     

内蒙古高原湖滨湿地优势植物功能性状特征及其适应性

受人类活动和气候变化的影响,湖泊湖滨带退化速度显著加快。植物功能性状的方法可以量化植物特征,预测植物对外界环境干扰的反应,有助于理解退化湖滨带湿地植物应对环境变化所表现出的适应机制,对湖泊湖滨湿地生态系统植被的恢复与重建具有重要意义。在内蒙古高原典型湖泊湖滨湿地选取芦苇（Phragmites australis）、赖草（Leymus secalinus）、毛茛（Ranunculus japonicus）、鹅绒委陵菜（Potentilla anserina）、碱蓬（Suaeda glauca）、盐角草（Salicornia europaea）和拂子茅（Calamagrostis epigeios）7种优势植物的叶片和根系作为研究对象,对不同湿地植物的11种功能性状变化规律及其与环境因子的关系进行研究。旨在探究环境变化影响下湖滨带湿地植物的物种分布和功能性状的差异,以及湿地植物在不同湖滨带湿地生境下的适应策略。在评估植物功能性状差异基础上,采用环境矩阵连接性状矩阵（RLQ）结合第四角分析（Fourth-Corner）的方法分析环境因子对植物功能性状的影响。结果表明,内蒙古湖滨带湿地中7种优势植物为了适应不同的环境的影响,植物的功能性状均产生不同程度的种间与种内变异,在湖滨带湿地中植物的植株高度、叶片碳含量、叶片氮含量、叶片碳氮比、比根长、根组织密度、根氮含量对环境变化的响应比较敏感,土壤pH与叶片干物质含量呈显著负相关;土壤盐分与植株高度、叶片碳含量和叶碳氮比显著负相关,与叶片氮含量、根组织密度显著正相关;土壤的总氮含量与植株高度显著正相关,与比根长显著负相关;土壤碳氮比与植株高度和叶片碳含量显著负相关,与植物比根长显著正相关;土壤容重与根氮含量显著负相关。研究表明内蒙古高原湖滨带湿地植物的功能性状受环境的作用强烈,植物采取了不同的性状策略来适应环境。     

Effects of water stress and rewatering on leaf water relations of lemon plants

Potted two-year-old lemon plants (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil.) cv. Fino, growing under field conditions were subjected to drought by withholding irrigation for 13 d. After that, plants were re-irrigated and the recovery was studied for 5 d. Control plants were daily irrigated maintaining the soil matric potential at about -30 kPa. Young leaves of control plants presented higher leaf conductance (g1) and lower midday leaf water potential (Ψmd) than mature ones. Young leaves also showed higher leaf water potential at the turgor loss point (Ψtlp) than mature leaves. In both leaf types g1 decreased with increased vapour pressure deficit of the atmosphere. From day 1 of the withholding water, predawn and midday leaf water potentials (Ψpd and Ψmd) decreased, reaching in both cases minimum values of -5.5 MPa, with no significant differences between mature and young leaves. Water stress induced stomatal closure, leaf rolling and partial defoliation. No osmotic adjustment was found in response to water stress in either leaf type, but both were able to enhance the cell wall elasticity (elastic adjustment). After rewatering, leaf water potential recovered quickly (within 2 d) but g1 did not. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Heterogeneity of soil and soil solution chemistry under Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) and European beech (Fagus silvatica L.) as influenced by distance from the stem basis

The present study aims at characterizing plant water status under field conditions on a daily basis, in order to improve operational predictions of plant water stress. Ohm's law analog serves as a basis for establishing daily soil-plant relationships, using experimental data from a water-limited soybean crop: 227-1. The daily transpiration flux, T, is estimated from experimental evapotranspiration data and simulated soil evaporation values. The difference, 227-2, named the effective potential gradient, is derived from i) the midday leaf potential of the uppermost expanded leaves and ii) an effective soil potential accounting for soil potential profile and an effectiveness factor of roots competing for water uptake. This factor is experimentally estimated from field observation of roots. G is an apparent hydraulic conductance of water flow from the soil to the leaves. The value of the lower potential limit for water extraction, required to assess the effective soil potential, is calculated with respect to the plant using the predawn leaf potential. It is found to be equal to –1.2 MPa. It appears that over the range of soil and climatic conditions experienced, the daily effective potential gradient remains constant (1.2 MPa), implying that, on a daily basis, transpiration only depends on the hydraulic conductance. The authors explain this behaviour by diurnal variation of osmotic potential, relying on Morgan's theory (1984). Possible generalization of the results to other crop species is suggested, providing a framework for reasoning plant water behaviour at a daily time step.     

Transfer of water from roots into dry soil and the effect on wheat water relations and growth

This investigation was performed to study the effect on plant water relations and growth when some of roots grow into dry soil. Common spring water (Triticum aestivum) plants were grown from seed in soil in 1.2 m long PVC (polyvinyl chloride) tubes. Some of the tubes had a PVC partition along their center so that plants developed a split root system (SPR). Part of the roots grew in fully irrigated soil on one side of the partition while the rest of the roots grew into a very dry (-4.1 MPa) soil on the other side of the partition. Split root plants were compared with plants grown from emergence on stored soil moisture (STOR) and with plants that were fully irrigated as needed (IRR). The experiment was duplicated over two temperature regimes (10°/20°C and 15°/25°C, night/day temperatures) in growth chambers. Data were collected on root dry matter distribution, soil moisture status, midday leaf water potential (LWP), leaf relative water content (RWC) and parameters of plant growth and yield.Some roots were found in the dry side of SPR already at 21 DAE (days after emergence) at a soil depth of 15 to 25 cm. Soil water potential around these roots was -0.7 to -1.0 MPa at midday, as compared with the initial value of -4.1 MPa. Therefore, water apparently flowed from the plant into the dry soil, probably during the night. Despite having most of their roots (around 2/3 of the total) in wet soil, SPR plants developed severe plant water stress, even in comparison with STOR plants. Already at 21 DAE, SPR plants had a LWP of -1.5 to -2.0 MPa, while IRR and STOR had a LWP of -0.5 MPa or higher. As a consequence of their greater plant water stress, SPR as compared with IRR plants were lower in tiller number, ear number, shoot dry matter, root dry matter, total biomass, plant height and grain yield and had more epicuticular wax on their leaves.It was concluded that the exposure of a relatively small part of a plant root system to a dry soil may result in a plant-to-soil water potential gradient which may cause severe plant water stress, leading to reduced plant growth and yield.     

Midday stomatal conductance is more related to stem rather than leaf water status in subtropical deciduous and evergreen broadleaf trees

Midday depressions in stomatal conductance (g_s) and photosynthesis are common in plants. The aim of this study was to understand the hydraulic determinants of midday g_s, the coordination between leaf and stem hydraulics and whether regulation of midday g_s differed between deciduous and evergreen broadleaf tree species in a subtropical cloud forest of Southwest (SW) China. We investigated leaf and stem hydraulics, midday leaf and stem water potentials, as well as midday g_s of co‐occurring deciduous and evergreen tree species. Midday g_s was correlated positively with midday stem water potential across both groups of species, but not with midday leaf water potential. Species with higher stem hydraulic conductivity and greater daily reliance on stem hydraulic capacitance were able to maintain higher stem water potential and higher g_s at midday. Deciduous species exhibited significantly higher stem hydraulic conductivity, greater reliance on stem capacitance, higher stem water potential and g_s at midday than evergreen species. Our results suggest that midday g_s is more associated with midday stem than with leaf water status, and that the functional significance of stomatal regulation in these broadleaf tree species is probably for preventing stem xylem dysfunction.     

典型草原围封后羊草地上功能性状对枯落物累积的响应

植物功能性状反映植物适应环境变化过程中在不同器官形态与功能间的资源权衡与分配策略。典型草原围封后枯落物累积导致群落光照、热量和水分的重新分配并改变微环境特征。在此过程中植物地上功能性状将通过怎样的变化来适应新的环境,目前尚不清楚。2015—2017年每年8月对内蒙古地区3种典型草原共有物种羊草（Leymus chinensis）的植株、叶片和茎干功能性状进行了测量与分析。结果表明：枯落物累积显著增加了羊草的植株高度、单株重量、茎叶比和总叶面积;枯落物累积显著增加了羊草的叶片长度、叶片重量、单叶面积、节间长度和茎干重量,这些性状属于敏感性状;枯落物累积对羊草的叶片数量和节间数量无显著影响,相对而言,这些性状属于惰性性状;羊草的单株重量与植株高度、叶片重量呈极显著的正相关关系（P<0.0001）;羊草的植株高度与节间数量、节间长度呈极显著的正相关关系（P<0.0001）。本研究结果从植物地上功能性状的角度阐明了典型草原植物对环境变化的适应方式,可为围封草原的合理管理提供基础数据与理论依据。