Effects of copper on the growth, photosynthesis and nutrient concentrations of Phaseolus plants

Bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Zargana Kavala) were grown under conditions of increasing Cu concentrations in the growth medium (0.5-160.5 μM). Generally, the Cu concentrations between 0.5-1.5 μM were deficient, 1.5-10.5 μM were optimal, and 10.5-160.5 μM were toxic to plant growth. The Cu toxicity was associated with marked increases in plant tissue Cu concentrations. Under the Cu-deficient and optimal growth conditions, Cu was located primarily in the leaves. Under Cu toxicity, it was primarily sequestered in the roots. With increasing Cu in the growth medium, there was a positive correlation between Cu concentrations in the roots, stems and leaves, Ca in the roots, and K and Mg in the leaves. In contrast, Ca concentrations in the leaves and stems showed a negative correlation. The chlorophyll (Chl) concentration increased with increasing leaf Cu concentration, however, the Chl a/b ratio decreased. Since with an increasing leaf Cu concentration the leaf area decreased more markedly than the leaf dry mass, the net photosynthetic rate (PN) per leaf area increased and per dry mass decreased. The increase in PN per leaf area was almost entirely accounted for by the increase in Chl concentration. The initial Chl fluorescence (F0) increased with increasing leaf Cu concentration. The ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence (Fv/Fm) under Cu toxicity decreased. The half-time for the rise from F0 to Fm (t1/2) remained relatively unchanged with increasing leaf Cu concentration. Therefore the Cu-stress caused a small decrease in the efficiency of photosystem 2 photochemistry, but its primary effect was on growth. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Anatomical and morphological parameters of leaves and leaf petioles of Actinidia deliciosa

Differences in anatomy and morphology of the kiwifruit leaves and leaf petioles might play a considerable role in the sex-determination. Three months after bud break (June), the kiwifruit leaves of both male and female plants, grown on the vegetative and generative shoots showed different leaf area (128.6 ± 13.45 cm2 in male and 104.5 ± 4.02 cm2 in female plants) and shape. The most frequently leaf shape was determined as "folium cordatum" and "folium rotundato-cordatum". Higher values of total leaf thickness of the female leaves (190 ± 3.84 μm) in comparison to male leaves (174 ± 3.52 μm) were estimated, resulting in the thicker adaxial leaf epidermis and especially in thicker palisade parenchyma in female leaves (136 ± 2.76 μm in comparison to 104 ± 1.61 μm in male leaves). Typically bifacial leaves were observed in both male and female leaves. Anomocytic stomata in hypostomatic leaves were found. The reticulate venation appears to be the main type of leaf venation. Stalked stellate multicellular trichomes on the abaxial leaf side were frequently observed in the leaves of both sexes. No important differences between male and female plants were found in the structures of vascular system in leaves and leaf petioles. Thus leaf thickness and surface morphology of adaxial leaf epidermis can be considered as important structural parameters in the sex determination. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Protective mechanism of desiccation tolerance in Reaumuria soongorica: Leaf abscission and sucrose accumulation in the stem

Reaumuria soongorica (Pall.) Maxim., a perennial semi-shrub, is widely found in semi-arid areas in northwestern China and can survive severe desiccation of its vegetative organs. In order to study the protective mechanism of desiccation tolerance in R. soongorica, diurnal patterns of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), water use efficiency (WUE) and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of Photosystem II (PSII), and sugar content in the source leaf and stem were investigated in 6-year-old plants during progressive soil drought imposed by the cessation of watering. The results showed that R. soongorica was char-acterized by very low leaf water potential, high WUE, photosynthesis and high accumulation of sucrose in the stem and leaf abscission under desiccation. The maximum Pn increased at first and then de-clined during drought, but intrinsic WUE increased remarkably in the morning with increasing drought stress. The maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and the quantum efficiency of noncyclic electric transport of PSII(ΦPSII) decreased significantly under water stress and exhibited an obvious phenomenon of photoinhibition at noon. Drought stressed plants maintained a higher capacity of dis-sipation of the excitation energy (measured as NPQ) with the increasing intensity of stress. Conditions of progressive drought promoted sucrose and starch accumulation in the stems but not in the leaves. However, when leaf water potential was less than –21.3 MPa, the plant leaves died and then abscised. But the stem photosynthesis remained and, afterward the plants entered the dormant state. Upon re-watering, the shoots reactivated and the plants developed new leaves. Therefore, R. soongorica has the ability to reduce water loss through leaf abscission and maintain the vigor of the stem cells to survive desiccation.     

Experiment about Drag Reduction of Bionic Non-smooth Surface in Low Speed Wind Tunnel

The body surface of some organisms has non-smooth structure, which is related to drag reduction in moving fluid. To imitate these structures, models with a non-smooth surface were made. In order to find a relationship between drag reduction and the non-smooth surface, an orthogonal design test was employed in a low speed wind tunnel. Six factors likely to influence drag reduction were considered, and each factor tested at three levels. The six factors were the configuration, diameter/bottom width, height/depth, distribution, the arrangement of the rough structures on the experimental model and the wind speed. It was shown that the non-smooth surface causes drag reduction and the distribution of non-smooth structures on the model, and wind speed, are the predominant factors affecting drag reduction. Using analysis of variance, the optimal combination and levels were obtained, which were a wind speed of 44 m/s, distribution of the non-smooth structure on the tail of the experimental model, the configuratio     

Response of Solanum tuberosum to Myzus persicae infestation at different stages of foliage maturity

Young leaves of the potato Solanum tuberosum L. cultivar Kardal contain resistance factors to the green peach aphid Myzuspersicae （Sulzer） （Hemiptera： Aphididae） and normal probing behavior is impeded. However, M. persicae can survive and reproduce on mature and senescent leaves of the cv. Kardal plant without problems. We compared the settling ofM. persicae on young and old leaves and analyzed the impact of aphids settling on the plant in terms of gene expression. Settling, as measured by aphid numbers staying on young or old leaves, showed that after 21 h significantly fewer aphids were found on the young leaves. At earlier time points there were no difference between young and old leaves, suggesting that the young leaf resistance factors are not located at the surface level but deeper in the tissue. Gene expression was measured in plants at 96 h postinfestation, which is at a late stage in the interaction and in compatible interactions this is long enough for host plant acceptance to occur. In old leaves of cv. Kardal （compatible interaction）, M. persicae infestation elicited a higher number of differentially regulated genes than in young leaves. The plant response to aphid infestation included a larger number of genes induced than repressed, and the proportion of induced versus repressed genes was larger in young than in old leaves. Several genes changing expression seem to be involved in changing the metabolic state of the leaf from source to sink.     

Elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and temperature differentially affect photosynthesis and resource allocation in flag and penultimate leaves of wheat

Differences in acclimation to elevated growth CO₂ (700 μmol mol⁻¹, EC) and elevated temperature (ambient +4 °C, ET) in successive leaves of wheat were investigated in field chambers. At a common measurement CO₂, EC increased photosynthesis and the quantum yield of electron transport (Φ) early on in the growth of penultimate leaves, and later decreased them. In contrast, EC did not change photosynthesis, and increased Φ at later growth stages in the flag leaf. Contents of chlorophyll (Chl), ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO), and total soluble protein were initially higher and subsequently lower in penultimate than flag leaves. EC decreased RuBPCO protein content relative to soluble protein and Chl contents throughout the development of penultimate leaves. On the other hand, EC initially increased the RuBPCO:Chl and Chl a/b ratios, but later decreased them in flag leaves. In the flag leaves but not in the penultimate leaves, ET initially decreased initial and specific RuBPCO activities at ambient CO₂ (AC) and increased them at EC. Late in leaf growth, ET decreased Chl contents under AC in both kinds of leaves, and had no effect or a positive one under EC. Thus the differences between the two kinds of leaves were due to resource availability, and to EC-increased allocation of resources to photon harvesting in the penultimate leaves, but to increased allocation to carboxylation early on in growth, and to light harvesting subsequently, in the flag leaves.     

Drought-Stimulated Activity of Plasma Membrane Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase and Its Catalytic Properties in Rice

The activity of plasma membrane （PM） nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADPH） oxidase and its catalytic properties in rice was investigated under drought stress conditions. Drought stress led to decreased leaf relative water content （RWC） and, as a result of drought-induced oxidative stress, the activities of antioxidant enzymes increased significantly. More interestingly, the intensity of applied water stress was correlated with increased production of H2O2 and O2^- and elevated activity of PM NADPH oxidase, a key enzyme of reactive oxygen species generation in plants. Histochemical analyses also revealed increased H2O2 and O2^- production in drought-stressed leaves. Application of diphenylene iodonium （DPI）, an inhibitor of PM NADPH oxidase, did not alleviate drought-induced production of H2O2 and O2^-. Catalysis experiments indicated that the rice PM NADPH oxidase was partially fiavin-dependent. The pH and temperature optima for this enzyme were 9.8 and 40 ℃, respectively. In addition, drought stress enhanced the activity under alkaline pH and high temperature conditions. These results suggest that a complex regulatory mechanism, associated with the NADPH oxidase-H2O2 system, is involved in the response of rice to drought stress.     

Characterization of the Topography and Wettability of English Weed Leaves and Biomimetic Replicas

The topography and wettability of the underside of English weed （Oxalis pes-caprae） leaves and of their biomimetic replicas are investigated. Polyvinyl siloxane molds were cast from the leaves and then filled with an epoxy pre-polymer to produce replicas. The particular topographical structures of leaves and replicas were evaluated by optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy （SEM） analysis. The static wettability of leaves and replicas was assessed by contact angle measurements, while the dynamic wettability was characterized by estimating contact angle hysteresis and studying the dynamic behavior of impacting water droplets. A smooth glass slip and its replica were used as control surfaces. The replica moulding method used was able to transfer the characteristic pattern of irregular 100 μm - 200 μm × 60 μm convex papillae interspersed with stomata of the original leaf to the epoxy replicas. The static contact angle of 143°± 3° and the contact angle hysteresis of 2~ indicate that the underside of the English weed leaf is close to superhydrophobic. The lower contact angles （130° ± 4°） and higher hysteresis （31°） observed for the replica when compared with the original leaves were associated to an inaccurate replication of the chemistry and structures of the three-dimensional wax projections covering the plant surface. Also, trichomes in the original leaves could not be accurately reproduced due to their flexibility and fragility. Differences in wetting behavior were also evident from droplet impact experiments, with rebound regimes prevailing in the original leaves and regimes characterized by higher adhesion and larger dissipation predominating in the replicas. Nevertheless, the morphological features of the leaf transferred to the replica were sufficient to promote a clear hydrophobic behavior of the replica when compared with the smooth epoxy reference surface.     

Effects of Elevated Carbon Dioxide on the Growth and Foliar Chemistry of Transgenic Bt Cotton

A field study was carried out to quantify plant growth and the foliar chemistry of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis （Bt） cotton （cv. GK-12） exposed to ambient CO2 and elevated （double-ambient） CO2 for different lengths of time （1, 2 and 3 months） in 2004 and 2005. The results indicated that CO2 levels significantly affected plant height, leaf area per plant and leaf chemistry of transgenic Bt cotton. Significantly, higher plant height and leaf area per plant were observed after cotton plants that were grown in elevated CO2 were compared with plants grown in ambient CO2 for 1, 2 and 3 months in the investigation. Simultaneously, significant interaction between CO2 level x investigating year was observed in leaf area per plant. Moreover, foliar total amino acids were increased by 14%, 13%, 11% and 12%, 14%, 10% in transgenic Bt cotton after exposed to elevated CO2 for 1, 2 or 3 months compared with ambient CO2 in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Condensed tannin occurrence increased by 17%, 11%, 9% in 2004 and 12%, 11%, 9% in 2005 in transgenic Bt cotton after being exposed to elevated CO2 for 1, 2 or 3 months compared with ambient CO2 for the same time. However, Bt toxin decreased by 3.0%, 2.9%, 3.1% and 2.4%, 2.5%, 2.9% in transgenic Bt cotton after exposed to elevated CO2 for 1, 2 or 3months compared with ambient CO2 for same time in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Furthermore, there was prominent interaction on the foliar total amino acids between the CO2 level and the time of cotton plant being exposed to elevated CO2. It is presumed that elevated CO2 can alter the plant growth and hence ultimately the phenotype allocation to foliar chemistical components of transgenic Bt cotton, which may in turn, affect the plant-herbivore interactions.     

Mechanical Characteristics of Typical Plant Leaves

Plant leaf is a natural composite biomaterial, and its strength is closely related to the microstructure. In this paper, themechanical characteristics of eight species of plant leaves were investigated and analyzed. The ultimate strength of leaves andthe hardness of leaf surfaces were measured by using universal testing machine and nanoindenter tester, respectively. The tensilestrength of the parallel microstructure was investigated based on its cross-sectional mechanical model. The results of tensiontests indicate that the ultimate strength of a leaf is related to the material composition and structure. The coriaceous leavesusually exhibit higher tensile strength. For example, the Phyllostachys pubescens leaf can achieve the maximum ultimatestrength of 5.9091 N·mm^-2. It is concluded from the results of hardness tests that material components of leaf surface caninfluence the surface hardness evidently. The leaf surface composed of more lignin and cellulose materials shows a highersurface hardness than that composed of more carbohydrates materials.     

Influence of simulated warming using OTC on physiological–biochemical characteristics of Elymus nutans in alpine meadow on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Elymus nutans Griseb. is a typical important plant species in the alpine meadow of Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. To examine the effects of temperature elevation on its physiological and chemical characteristics, a simulation study was conducted in situ with open-top chambers (OTC) followed the method of International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) from November 2002 to September 2007, and these OTCs were designed five kinds of size with bottom diameters of 0.85, 1.15, 1.45, 1.75, 2.05 m so as to rise different air temperatures. The air temperature inside OTCs increased by 2.68, 1.57, 1.20, 1.07 and 0.69 °C with increase of OTC diameter compared with ambient air. We found that with increase of air temperature, the soluble sugar content and SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity in leaves of E. nutans increased first, and then decreased, whereas, the soluble protein content and GSH (Glutathione) content decreased first and increased then, the chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll contents were decreased, but the contents of chlorophyll b were higher than that of control. Increased temperature enhanced the above-ground biomass and blade height of E. nutans. These results indicated that elevated temperature had significant and complicated effects on physiological–biochemical characteristics of E. nutans on Qinghai-Tibet plateau, when the temperature increased within the range of 0.69–1.57 °C, it may have positive effects on plant growth and development, and E. nutans could adapt even develop defensive strategy to the changes of a certain ecological environment changes.     

Detection of Quantitative Trait Loci for Yield and Drought Tolerance Traits in Soybean Using a Recombinant Inbred Line Population

To investigate the genetic basis of drought tolerance in soybean （Glycine max L. Merr.） a recombinant inbred population with 184 F2：7：11 lines developed from a cross between Kefengl （drought tolerant） and Nannong1138-2 （drought sensitive） were tested under water-stressed and well-watered conditions in field and greenhouse trials. Traits measured included leaf wilting coefficient, excised leaf water loss and relative water content as indicators of plant water status and seed yield. A total of 40 quantitative trait loci （QTLs） were identified： 17 for leaf water status traits under drought stress and 23 for seed yield under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions in both field and greenhouse trials. Two seed yield QTLs were detected under both well-watered and drought-stressed conditions in the field on molecular linkage group H and Dlb, while two seed yield QTLs on molecular linkage group C2 were found under greenhouse conditions. Several QTLs for traits associated with plant water status were identified in both field and greenhouse trials, including two leaf wilting coefficient QTLs on molecular linkage group A2 and one excised leaf water loss QTL on molecular linkage group H. Phenotypic correlations of traits suggested several QTLs had pleiotropic or location-linked associations. These results will help to elucidate the genetic basis of drought tolerance in soybean, and could be incorporated into a marker-assisted selection breeding program to develop high-yielding soybean cultivars with improved tolerance to drought stress.     

Influence of simulated warming using OTC on physiological–biochemical characteristics of Elymus nutans in alpine meadow on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Elymus nutans Griseb. is a typical important plant species in the alpine meadow of Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. To examine the effects of temperature elevation on its physiological and chemical characteristics, a simulation study was conducted in situ with open-top chambers (OTC) followed the method of International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) from November 2002 to September 2007, and these OTCs were designed five kinds of size with bottom diameters of 0.85, 1.15, 1.45, 1.75, 2.05 m so as to rise different air temperatures. The air temperature inside OTCs increased by 2.68, 1.57, 1.20, 1.07 and 0.69 °C with increase of OTC diameter compared with ambient air. We found that with increase of air temperature, the soluble sugar content and SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity in leaves of E. nutans increased first, and then decreased, whereas, the soluble protein content and GSH (Glutathione) content decreased first and increased then, the chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll contents were decreased, but the contents of chlorophyll b were higher than that of control. Increased temperature enhanced the above-ground biomass and blade height of E. nutans. These results indicated that elevated temperature had significant and complicated effects on physiological–biochemical characteristics of E. nutans on Qinghai-Tibet plateau, when the temperature increased within the range of 0.69–1.57 °C, it may have positive effects on plant growth and development, and E. nutans could adapt even develop defensive strategy to the changes of a certain ecological environment changes.     

Specific leaf area estimation model building based on leaf dry matter content of Cunninghamia lanceolata北大核心CSCD

Aims With progresses of leaf functional traits study, there is an increasing demand to explore the life history strategy and trade-offs in plants, as well as estimate stand productivity, by employing easy and simple leaf parameters. For instance, the interconversion between leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA) just fit the bill. Cunninghamia lanceolata serves as one of the most important afforestation evergreen needle species in subtropical zone. Building the SLA estimation model based on LDMC could provide a new approach to estimate SLA, and establish a connection path between mechanism explanation and productivity evaluation. Moreover, it could also build a bridge between individual level and large-scale, as well as between actuarial and estimation. Methods Leaf samples were collected from two sampling sites located in C. lanceolata growing region: Huitong County of Hunan Province and Xinyang City of Henan Province. The samples covered fundamentally different niches (aspect, slope position, and canopy depth), and different life history (stand age and leaf age). SLA and LDMC were determined along leaf age gradients, and their value distributions in linkage to different factors were discussed. A general model based on LDMC of C. lanceolata was built to estimate SLA, and the impact of leaf age on the model was explored. Important findings The SLA of C. lanceolata was (103.15 ± 69.54) cm2·g–1, while LDMC was 0.39 ± 0.11. The LDMC and SLA of C. lanceolata can be estimated by nonlinear model (R2 = 0.718 4, p < 0.001), which meets the estimation requirements. One-year-old leaves showed the best fitting model (R2 = 0.889, p < 0.001), while old leaves (more than 2-year-old) showed the worst (R2 = 0.100 1, p < 0.001). Old leaves with a lower SLA (52.28–75.74 cm2·g–1) might imply the relative independence among the variation of LDMC. The model based on LDMC to evaluate SLA is credible and effective. The effects on LDMC and SLA along leaf age gradients indicate leaf sensitivity, life history strategies and trade-offs. © 2018 Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology. All rights reserved.     

Interactions Between Temperature and Sugars in the Regulation of Leaf Senescence in the Perennial Herb Arabis alpina L.

Annual plants usually flower and set seed once before senescence results in the death of the whole plant (monocarpic senescence). Leaf senescence also occurs in polycarpic perennials; even in "evergreen" species individual leaves senesce. In the annual model Arabidopsis thaliana sugars accumulate in the senescent leaves and senescence is accelerated by high sugar availability. Similar to A. thaliana, sugar contents increased with leaf age in the perennial Arabis alpina grown under warm conditions (22 C day/18 night). At 5 C, sugar contents in non-senescent leaves were higher than at a warm temperature, but dependent on the accession, either sugars did not accumulate or their contents decreased in old leaves. In A. alpina plants grown in their natural habitat in the Alps, sugar contents declined with leaf age. Growth at a cold temperature slightly delayed senescence in A. alpina. In both warm and cold conditions, an external glucose supply accelerated senescence, but natural variation was found in this response. In conclusion, sugar accumulation under warm conditions could accelerate leaf senescence in A. alpina plants, but genotype-specific responses and interactions with growth temperature are likely to influence senescence under natural conditions.     

Variations and interrelationships of foliar hydraulic and photosynthetic traits for Larix gmelinii北大核心CSCD

Aims: Variations and potential trade-offs of leaf hydraulic and photosynthetic traits are essential for assessing and predicting the effect of climate change on tree survival, growth and distribution. Our aims were to examine variations and interrelationships of leaf hydraulic and photosynthetic traits in response to changes in site conditions for Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii)-a dominant tree species in Chinese boreal forests. Methods: This study was conducted at the Maoershan Forest Ecosystem Research Station. A transect of 27 year-old Dahurian larch plantation was established that consisted of five plots extending from the valley to the ridge of a slope. The predawn leaf water potential (ψpre), area- and mass-based leaf hydraulic conductance (Karea and Kmass, respectively), resistance to embolism capacity (P50), leaf mass per area (LMA), net photosynthetic rate (A), and leaf nitrogen content (N) were measured in August 2016. Important findings: The ψpre, Karea, Kmass, P50, A, LMA, and N all varied significantly among the plots (p < 0.05), indicating significant intra-specific variations in these traits in response to the changes in site conditions. The P50 was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with ψpre, Karea or Kmass, suggesting that a trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety exist within the species to some degree. There were significant (p < 0.05) pairwise correlations between A, LMA, and N. Nevertheless, there was no significant (p < 0.05) correlation between the measured photosynthetic traits and hydraulic traits. We concluded that the intra-specific variations and multiple interrelationships of the leaf hydraulic and photosynthetic traits for the larch reflect the plasticity of its leaf traits and strategies of its survival and growth as a result of its acclimation to diverse site conditions.     

Effects of Elevated Carbon Dioxide on the Growth and Foliar Chemistry of Transgenic Bt Cotton

A field study was carried out to quantify plant growth and the foliar chemistry of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)cotton(cv.GK-12)exposed to ambient CO_2 and elevated(double-ambient)CO_2 for different lengths of time(1,2 and3 months)in 2004 and 2005.The results indicated that CO_2 levels significantly affected plant height,leaf area per plantand leaf chemistry of transgenic Bt cotton.Significantly,higher plant height and leaf area per plant were observed aftercotton plants that were grown in elevated CO_2 were compared with plants grown in ambient CO_2 for 1,2 and 3 months inthe investigation.Simultaneously,significant interaction between CO_2 level×investigating year was observed in leaf areaper plant.Moreover,foliar total amino acids were increased by 14%,13%,11% and 12%,14%,10% in transgenic Bt cottonafter exposed to elevated CO_2 for 1,2 or 3 months compared with ambient CO_2 in 2004 and 2005,respectively.Condensedtannin occurrence increased by 17%,11%,9% in 2004 and 12%,11%,9% in 2005 in transgenic Bt cotton after being exposedto elevated CO_2 for 1,2 or 3 months compared with ambient CO_2 for the same time.However,Bt toxin decreased by 3.0%,2.9%,3.1% and 2.4%,2.5%,2.9% in transgenic Bt cotton after exposed to elevated CO_2 for 1,2 or 3 months comparedwith ambient CO_2 for same time in 2004 and 2005,respectively.Furthermore,there was prominent interaction on the foliartotal amino acids between the CO_2 level and the time of cotton plant being exposed to elevated CO_2.It is presumed thatelevated CO_2 can alter the plant growth and hence ultimately the phenotype allocation to foliar chemistical components oftransgenic Bt cotton,which may in turn,affect the plant-herbivore interactions.     

Leaf hydraulics coordinated with leaf economics and leaf size in mangrove species along a salinity gradientOA

Independence among leaf economics,leaf hydraulics and leaf size confers plants great capability in adapting to heterogeneous environments.However,it remains unclear whether the independence of the leaf traits revealed across species still holds within species,especially under stressed conditions.Here,a suite of traits in these dimensions were measured in leaves and roots of a typical mangrove species,Ceriops tagal,which grows in habitats with a similar sunny and hot environment but different soi...     

Effect of Nitrogen Supply on the Nitrogen Use Efficiency of an Annual Herb, Helianthus annuus L.

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is the product of nitrogen productivity (NP) and the mean residence time of nitrogen (MRT). Theory suggests that there should be a trade-off between both components,but direct experimental evidence is still scarce. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the effect of varying nitrogen supply levels on NUE and its two components (NP, MRT) in Helianthus annuus L., an annual herb.The plants investigated were subjected to six nitrogen levels (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 g N/m^2). Total plant production increased substantially with increasing nitrogen supply. Nitrogen uptake and loss also increased with nitrogen supply. Nitrogen influx (rin) and outflux (rout) were defined as the rates of nitrogen uptake and loss per unit aboveground nitrogen, respectively. Both rin and rout increased with increasing nitrogen supply. In addition, rin was far higher than rout. Consequently, the relative rate of nitrogen increment (tin -rout) also increased with nitrogen supply. There were marked differences between treatments with respect to parameters related to the stress resistance syndrome: nitrogen pool size, leaf nitrogen concentration,and net aboveground productivity increased with nitrogen supply. Plants at high nitrogen levels showed a higher NP (the growth rate per unit aboveground nitrogen) and a shorter MRT (the inverse of rout), whereas plants at low nitrogen levels displayed the reverse pattern. Shorter MRT for plants at high nitrogen levels was caused by the abscission of leaves that contained relatively large fractions of total plant nitrogen. We found a negative relationship between NP and MRT, the components of NUE, along the gradient of nitrogen availability, suggesting that there was a trade-off between NP and MRT. The NUE increased with increasing nitrogen availability, up to a certain level, and then decreased. These results offer support for the hypothesis that adaptation to infertile habitats involves a low nitrogen loss (long MRT in the piano rather than a high NUE per se. The higher NUE at the plant level was a result, in part, of greater nitrogen resorption during senescence. We suggest that a long MRT (an index of nitrogen conservation) is a potentially successful strategy in nitrogen-poor environments.