The Structural Adaptation of Aerial Parts of Invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternanthera philoxeroides</Emphasis> to Water Regime |
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Authors: | Yong Tao Fang Chen Kaiyuan Wan Xinwei Li Jianqiang Li |
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Institution: | (1) Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China; |
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Abstract: | Alternanthera philoxeroides has successfully invaded diverse habitats with considerably various water availability, threatening biological diversity
in many parts of the world. Because its genetic variation is very low, phenotypic plasticity is believed to be the primary
strategy for adapting to the diverse habitats. In the present paper, we investigated the plastic changes of anatomical traits
of the aerial parts of A. philoxeroides from flooding to wet then to drought habitat; the results are as follows: A. philoxeroides could change anatomical structures sensitively to adapt to water regime. As a whole, effects of water regime on structures
in stem were greater than those in leaf. Except for principal vein diameter and stoma density on leaf surfaces, all other
structural traits were significantly affected by water regime. Among which, cuticular wax layer, collenchyma cell wall, phloem
fiber cell wall, and hair density on both leaf surfaces thickened significantly with decrease of water availability, whereas,
pith cavity and vessel lumen in stem lessened significantly; wet habitat is vital for the spread of A. philoxeroides from flooding to drought habitat and vice versa, because in this habitat, it had the greatest structural variations; when
switching from flooding to wet then to drought habitat, the variations of cuticular wax layer, collenchyma cell wall, phloem
fiber cell wall, pith cavity area ratio, diameter of vessel lumen, and hair density on both leaf surfaces, played the most
important role. These responsive variables contribute most to the adaptation of A. philoxeroides to diverse habitats with considerably various water availability. |
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