不同土壤水盐条件下多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)对胡杨(Populus euphratica)幼苗的影响

目前胡杨更新困难,种群处于退化阶段,而与其生态位高度重叠的多枝柽柳却在扩张。为探讨多枝柽柳对胡杨生长的影响,本研究设置了3个水平的水分、盐分梯度,对胡杨进行了单种和混种的盆栽控制实验,通过测定胡杨幼苗的生长和存活状况,分析不同水、盐梯度下多枝柽柳如何影响胡杨生长。结果表明：（1）多枝柽柳伴生降低当年生胡杨幼苗的存活率,随着水分条件改善,胡杨存活率提高,而盐分对存活率没有显著的影响。（2）水分、盐分和伴生模式几个因子对胡杨的生长特征的影响存在显著的交互作用（P<0.05）。各水盐条件下,多枝柽柳会不同程度降低胡杨幼苗的株高、主根长和地上地下生物量,而根冠比增大。混种条件下,胡杨幼苗对水盐的响应更为敏感。（3）相对竞争强度对水盐环境有明显的响应（P<0.05）,随水分条件改善,地上、地下相对竞争强度降低。多枝柽柳对胡杨的生长产生不良影响的机制是通过快速消耗土壤的水分,从而导致胡杨幼苗水分亏缺。土壤水分条件是胡杨和多枝柽柳幼苗共存的关键因素,在水分供给不足的情况下,对水分偏好的差异导致胡杨无法通过实生苗进行有效的更新从而加剧胡杨种群的衰退,而多枝柽柳更为耐旱的特性使其逐步占据河岸的生境。我们的研究结果强调了两个树种对环境因子的适应性差异决定了河岸带植被发育过程中植物-土壤的相互作用导致胡杨在演替过程中表现出的衰退现象。     

Effects of water depth and substrate type on growth dynamics and biomass allocation of Oryza rufipogon

Oryzarufipogon is known as the ancestor of Asian cultivated rice (Oryzasativa) and the most important germplasm for rice improvement. In this study, we investigated its growth and biomass allocation in response to water depth and substrate type. The results demonstrated that individual plant had an average weight of 18.98 g, 9.36 g, and 10.59 g and produced 77.7 seeds, 35.5 seeds, and 41.6 seeds in deep-, fluctuated-, and shallow water, respectively. Root-to-shoot ratios were 0.37 in deep water, 0.61 in fluctuated water level, and 0.56 in shallow water, reflecting larger investment in roots under water-level fluctuation and shallow water conditions. However, biomass allocation for sexual reproduction was no significant different among the three water levels. In substrates experiment, total biomass and seed production were significantly different between sediment types, and the averages were 10.59 g, 3.56 g, and 0.76 g in biomass and 41.6 seeds, 13.8 seeds, and 0.5 seeds per plant in lake sediment, river sand and clay, respectively. The number of tillers was significantly fewer in sandy and clay substrates than in lake sediments. Individual plant in clay substrates was significantly shorter than those in sandy and in lake sediment substrates. Our study suggests that the plasticity in morphology and biomass allocation of O.rufipogon appears to be an adaptation to the variability in water level and substrate conditions.     

Effects of water depth and substrate type on growth dynamics and biomass allocation of Oryza rufipogon

Oryzarufipogon is known as the ancestor of Asian cultivated rice (Oryzasativa) and the most important germplasm for rice improvement. In this study, we investigated its growth and biomass allocation in response to water depth and substrate type. The results demonstrated that individual plant had an average weight of 18.98 g, 9.36 g, and 10.59 g and produced 77.7 seeds, 35.5 seeds, and 41.6 seeds in deep-, fluctuated-, and shallow water, respectively. Root-to-shoot ratios were 0.37 in deep water, 0.61 in fluctuated water level, and 0.56 in shallow water, reflecting larger investment in roots under water-level fluctuation and shallow water conditions. However, biomass allocation for sexual reproduction was no significant different among the three water levels. In substrates experiment, total biomass and seed production were significantly different between sediment types, and the averages were 10.59 g, 3.56 g, and 0.76 g in biomass and 41.6 seeds, 13.8 seeds, and 0.5 seeds per plant in lake sediment, river sand and clay, respectively. The number of tillers was significantly fewer in sandy and clay substrates than in lake sediments. Individual plant in clay substrates was significantly shorter than those in sandy and in lake sediment substrates. Our study suggests that the plasticity in morphology and biomass allocation of O.rufipogon appears to be an adaptation to the variability in water level and substrate conditions.     

Effects of sea level rise on mangrove Avicennia population growth,colonization and establishment: Evidence from a field survey and greenhouse manipulation experiment

Mangroves will either face longer tidal inundation or retreat landwards in response to on-going accelerated sea level rise. However, little is known about the growth, regeneration or colonization of mangrove seedlings under the different tidal inundation regimes associated with accelerated sea level rise. In the present study, a field survey and a greenhouse mesocosm experiment were conducted to evaluate possible effects of accelerated sea level rise on colonization, establishment and seedling growth of a mangrove pioneer species, Avicennia marina. Avicennia populations at different elevations of the intertidal zone on Xiamen Island in Fujian Province, China showed distinctive patterns in both seedling density and plant age. The seedlings at lower elevations had less annual biomass accumulation and population productivity, but higher shoot to root ratios, suggesting that elevation has positive effects on seedling growth. The greenhouse mesocosm experiment with 1-year-old A. marina seedlings utilized five inundation periods (0, 2, 4, 6 and 12 h in a semidiurnal tidal cycle) and two inundation depths (root immersion and canopy immersion). Both inundation period and depth exerted significant and negative effects on biomass accumulation, photosynthetic rate, leaf electron transportation and water use efficiency. However, the negative effects of canopy immersion were more profound than root immersion. Canopy immersion exacerbated the effects of prolonged inundation, with no seedlings surviving under canopy immersion at the 12-hour treatment. These results suggest that at lower elevations with higher sea level, canopy immersion will have greater negative effects on seedling colonization, establishment and early growth of A. marina. This finding is instrumental in predicting the future dynamics of mangrove forests under increasing sea levels.     

Differential effects of water depth and sediment type on clonal growth of the submersed macrophyte <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vallisneria natans</Emphasis>

The response of clonal growth and ramet morphology to water depth (from 60 to 260 cm) and sediment type (sand versus organic clay) was investigated for the stoloniferous submersed macrophyte Vallisneria natans in an outdoor pond experiment. Results showed that water depth significantly affected clonal growth of V. natans in terms of clone weight, number of ramets, number of generations, clonal radius and stolon length. V. natans showed an optimal clonal growth at water depths of 110–160 cm, but at greater depths clonal growth was severely retarded. A high allometric effect was exhibited in ramet morphology. Along the sequentially produced ramet generations, ramet weight and plant height decreased while stolon length and the root:leaf weight ratio increased. When using ramet generations as covariate, sediment type rather than water depth more strongly affected the ramet characteristics. For plants grown in clay, ramet weight, ramet height and stolon length were greater, and plants exhibited lower root:leaf weight ratio. These data suggest that water depth and sediment type have differential effects on clonal growth of V. natans: Water depth appears primarily to affect numerical increase in ramets and spatial spread, whereas sediment type mainly affects biomass accumulation and biomass allocation. Handling editor: S. M. Thomaz     

Growth and leaf gas exchange in Populus euphratica across soil water and salinity gradients

Soil water and salinity conditions of the riparian zones along the Tarim River, northwest China, have been undergoing alterations due to water use by human or climate change, which is expected to influence the riparian forest dominated by an old poplar, Populus euphratica. To evaluate the effects of such habitat alterations, we examined photosynthetic and growth performances of P. euphratica seedlings across experimental soil water and salinity gradients. Results indicated that seedlings were limited in their physiological performance, as evidenced by decreases in their height and biomass, and the maximal quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry (F_v/F_m), the effective quantum-use efficiency of PSII (F_v′/F_m′), and photochemical quenching (q_P) under mild (18% soil water content, SWC; 18.3 g kg^?1 soil salt content, SSC) and moderate (13% SWC, 22.5 g kg^?1 SSC) water or salinity stress. However, seedlings had higher root/shoot ratio (R/S), increased nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), and water-use efficiency (WUE) relative to control under such conditions. Under severe (8% SWC, 27.9 g kg^?1 SSC) water or salinity stress, P. euphratica seedlings had only a fifth of biomass of those under control conditions. It was also associated with damaged PSII and decreases in WUE, the maximal net photosynthetic rate (P _Nmax), light-saturation point (LSP), and apparent quantum yield (_α). Our results suggested that the soil conditions, where P.euphratica seedlings could grow normally, were higher than ～ 13% for SWC, and lower than ～22.5 g kg^?1 for SSC, the values, within the seedlings could acclimate to water or salinity stress by adjusting their R/S ratio, improving WUE to limit water loss, and rising NPQ to dissipate excessive excitation energy. Once SWC was lower than 8% or SCC higher than ～28 g kg^?1, the seedlings suffered from the severe stress.     

Responses to flooding and drying in seedlings of a common Australian desert floodplain shrub: Muehlenbeckia florulenta Meisn. (tangled lignum)

We investigated the effects of flooding and drying over 6 months on growth and biomass allocation in seedlings of Muehlenbeckia florulenta Meisn. (tangled lignum), a common and widely distributed shrub of Australia's desert floodplains. We sought to determine if lignum seedlings respond to flooding or drying by altering traits or allocation patterns or instead display fixed patterns of development. Since desert floodplains are highly unpredictable and heterogeneous environments, we hypothesised that adaptive phenotypic plasticity is unlikely to have developed or be advantageous in seedlings of this species as environmental state changes are highly variable in their timing and duration and plants risk being caught out of kilter with environmental conditions. To test this, we conducted a glasshouse experiment in which lignum seedlings, grown in both clay and sandy sediments, were subjected to a range of hydrological conditions over a period of 6 months. Lignum seedlings exhibited considerable tolerance of both flooding and drying in our experiment and no mortality was observed. Growth was significantly reduced by flooding, however, and seedlings displayed extremely delayed development rather than plasticity in overall biomass allocation or any of the specific morphological variables we measured. Lignum seedlings were considerably more tolerant of drying than flooding and responded plastically by reducing leaf area ratios through reductions in specific leaf areas and leaf production and expansion. Sediment type had little effect on seedling development. Our results indicate that surface water hydrology is likely to be a major determinant of recruitment patterns in this ecologically significant species.     

沙埋对花棒种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

为探讨花棒(Hedysarum scopariium)种子萌发和幼苗生长对沙埋的响应,并为固沙造林、水土保持提供理论基础,研究了6种沙埋深度(0、1、2、3、4和5cm)对花棒种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响.结果表明,埋深对花棒幼苗出土率、首次出苗时间、单株叶片数、幼苗生长高度以及生物量的分配均有极显著影响(P<0.001).种子出苗率在2 cm沙埋下达到最高(95.6%),在5cm沙埋下最低(43.4%);幼苗最大高度(11.6cm)、绝对株高(13.9cm)和最大地上生物量(26.7mg)均出现在2cm的埋深,幼苗最小高度(3.3cm)、最小根长(4.3cm)和最小地上生物量(5.3mg)出现在5cm的埋深;生物量分配随沙埋深度增大而更多地分配给地下部分.2cm的沙埋是花棒种子萌发和幼苗生长的最佳深度.     

Endophytic fungus Serendipita indica increased nutrition absorption and biomass accumulation in Cunninghamia lanceolata seedlings under low phosphate

Cunninghamia lanceolata is important forest tree species in southern China, and its successive plantations resulted in degradation of soil fertility in pure stands, causing decline in forest productivity. How to improve productivity in C. lanceolata pure stands is a tough task. Usage of mycorrhizal fungi might be a plausible access to the task. The objective is to study the possibility of the endophytic fungus Serendipita indica (named formerly as Piriformospora indica) in culture of C. lanceolata. Seeds were sowed in plastic pots with river sand. When seedlings had two true leaves, hyphae suspension solution of S. indica was added to near the roots of seedlings in each plastic pot. Such pots with seedlings were placed in a greenhouse and normal management was carried out for the seedlings. Symbiosis effects on root development, nutrition uptake and allocation, and biomass accumulation of C. lanceolata seedlings under low phosphate were investigated. The results showed that S. indica could symbiose with C. lanceolata. The symbiosis did not result in significant changes in root system architecture under low phosphate, but significantly increased nitrogen and phosphorus levels in leaves under low phosphate. Although the symbiosis did not significantly increased nitrogen allocation in leaves under low phosphate, it significantly increased phosphorus allocation in leaves. The interaction between S. indica and C. lanceolata resulted in increase in total biomass under low phosphate and changes in biomass allocation between shoots and roots. The results suggested that S. indica helps host plants to absorb more nutrients under low phosphate and to allocate more nitrogen and phosphate to leaves, promoting plant growth; the fungus might be used in pure stands of C. lanceolata because of its large-scaled axenic culture.     

车桑子幼苗生物量分配与叶性状对氮磷浓度的响应差异

调整叶性状和生物量分配格局是植物适应环境变化的主要途径, 研究车桑子(Dodonaea viscosa)幼苗生物量分配与叶性状对氮磷浓度的响应对认识车桑子在氮磷浓度变化下的适应策略具有重要意义。该研究通过砂培法, 测定不同氮浓度(3、5、15、30 mmol·L^-1)与不同磷浓度(0.25、0.5、1、2 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗的生长、生物量分配、叶性状的响应特征及其相互关系。结果表明: 高浓度氮(30 mmol·L^-1)促进了车桑子幼苗生长、叶片氮含量和生物量积累, 其余氮添加条件(3、5、15 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗各性状无显著差异, 但相比高氮水平, 其生物量积累和叶片氮含量显著降低, 根冠比和氮利用效率显著增加。随着磷添加浓度的增加, 车桑子幼苗生物量显著增加, 低磷条件(0.25、0.5 mmol·L^-1)限制了车桑子幼苗生长和生物量积累, 其根冠比和磷利用效率均没有发生显著变化, 但比叶面积和叶/茎生物量比例显著增加, 叶干物质含量显著降低。氮处理下, 叶片氮含量与根冠比显著负相关; 磷处理下, 叶片氮含量与比叶面积显著正相关。同时, 氮处理下, 车桑子幼苗株高、基径、总生物量等生长性状均与根冠比显著负相关, 与叶片氮含量显著正相关, 表明根冠比和叶片氮含量的调整在车桑子适应氮限制中发挥重要作用; 而磷处理下, 株高、基径、总生物量与比叶面积显著负相关, 与叶干物质含量显著正相关, 表明叶片结构性状的调整在车桑子适应低磷环境中具有重要意义。该研究表明, 车桑子幼苗生物量分配和叶性状及性状间的权衡策略对氮、磷的响应具有明显差异性, 在今后的研究中, 应关注氮和磷对植物性状影响的差异性。     

Different responses of biomass allocation and leaf traits of Dodonaea viscosa to concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus

调整叶性状和生物量分配格局是植物适应环境变化的主要途径, 研究车桑子(Dodonaea viscosa)幼苗生物量分配与叶性状对氮磷浓度的响应对认识车桑子在氮磷浓度变化下的适应策略具有重要意义。该研究通过砂培法, 测定不同氮浓度(3、5、15、30 mmol·L^-1)与不同磷浓度(0.25、0.5、1、2 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗的生长、生物量分配、叶性状的响应特征及其相互关系。结果表明: 高浓度氮(30 mmol·L^-1)促进了车桑子幼苗生长、叶片氮含量和生物量积累, 其余氮添加条件(3、5、15 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗各性状无显著差异, 但相比高氮水平, 其生物量积累和叶片氮含量显著降低, 根冠比和氮利用效率显著增加。随着磷添加浓度的增加, 车桑子幼苗生物量显著增加, 低磷条件(0.25、0.5 mmol·L^-1)限制了车桑子幼苗生长和生物量积累, 其根冠比和磷利用效率均没有发生显著变化, 但比叶面积和叶/茎生物量比例显著增加, 叶干物质含量显著降低。氮处理下, 叶片氮含量与根冠比显著负相关; 磷处理下, 叶片氮含量与比叶面积显著正相关。同时, 氮处理下, 车桑子幼苗株高、基径、总生物量等生长性状均与根冠比显著负相关, 与叶片氮含量显著正相关, 表明根冠比和叶片氮含量的调整在车桑子适应氮限制中发挥重要作用; 而磷处理下, 株高、基径、总生物量与比叶面积显著负相关, 与叶干物质含量显著正相关, 表明叶片结构性状的调整在车桑子适应低磷环境中具有重要意义。该研究表明, 车桑子幼苗生物量分配和叶性状及性状间的权衡策略对氮、磷的响应具有明显差异性, 在今后的研究中, 应关注氮和磷对植物性状影响的差异性。     

Functional and ecophysiological traits of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halimione portulacoides</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sarcocornia perennis</Emphasis> ecotypes in Mediterranean salt marshes under different tidal exposures

The present paper aims to discuss the functional and ecophysiological traits of two abundant succulent halophytes in Mediterranean salt marsh systems, considering two ecotypes differing on their tidal exposure. In Halimione portulacoides the higher root/shoot (R/S) biomass ratio verified in low inundation frequency (LF) marshes, as compared with that in high inundation frequency (HF), indicates an optimal partitioning strategy, inducing differential allocation patterns along with varying environmental factors. Conversely, Sarcocornia perennis appear to have an isometric allocation strategy, based on intrinsic biomass allocation mechanisms independent from the surrounding environmental conditions. Similarly, the photosynthetic traits appear to reflect the intrinsic ecology of the species. Sarcocornia perennis habitat adaptation to HF conditions is clearly revealed by its high photosynthetic efficiency under HF conditions. On the other hand, the cosmopolitan H. portulacoides shows no differences between ecotypes, in which concerns this trait, mostly due to the high carotenoid content of the HF ecotype, which allows this specie to counteract the stress generated during submersion. Additionally, anti-oxidant enzymatic activities revealed that S. perennis presents a high degree of stress tolerance under HF conditions, while H. portulacoides is highly adapted to LF conditions. These functional (biomass-related) and physiological traits determine the optimal habitats for H. portulacoides and S. perennis. While H. portulacoides optimal biomass partitioning, along with its efficient anti-oxidant defence system, makes this species fitter to LF conditions, S. perennis isometric allocation strategy, along with a higher photosynthetic efficiency under frequent flooding conditions, provides this species the mechanisms to efficiently colonize the intertidal habitat.     

The Effects of Drought and Shade on the Performance,Morphology and Physiology of Ghanaian Tree Species

In tropical forests light and water availability are the most important factors for seedling growth and survival but an increasing frequency of drought may affect tree regeneration. One central question is whether drought and shade have interactive effects on seedling growth and survival. Here, we present results of a greenhouse experiment, in which seedlings of 10 Ghanaian tree species were exposed to combinations of strong seasonal drought (continuous watering versus withholding water for nine weeks) and shade (5% irradiance versus 20% irradiance). We evaluated the effects of drought and shade on seedling survival and growth and plasticity of 11 underlying traits related to biomass allocation, morphology and physiology. Seedling survival under dry conditions was higher in shade than in high light, thus providing support for the “facilitation hypothesis” that shade enhances plant performance through improved microclimatic conditions, and rejecting the trade-off hypothesis that drought should have stronger impact in shade because of reduced root investment. Shaded plants had low biomass fraction in roots, in line with the trade-off hypothesis, but they compensated for this with a higher specific root length (i.e., root length per unit root mass), resulting in a similar root length per plant mass and, hence, similar water uptake capacity as high-light plants. The majority (60%) of traits studied responded independently to drought and shade, indicating that within species shade- and drought tolerances are not in trade-off, but largely uncoupled. When individual species responses were analysed, then for most of the traits only one to three species showed significant interactive effects between drought and shade. The uncoupled response of most species to drought and shade should provide ample opportunity for niche differentiation and species coexistence under a range of water and light conditions. Overall our greenhouse results suggest that, in the absence of root competition shaded tropical forest tree seedlings may be able to survive prolonged drought.     

Interactive Effects of Soil Nutrients, Moisture and Sand Burial on the Development, Physiology, Biomass and Fitness of Cakile edentula

The relative importance and interactive effects of nutrientsupply, soil moisture content and sand burial on the development,physiology, biomass allocation and fitness ofCakile edentulawere examined under controlled greenhouse conditions. Planttraits were more frequently affected by nutrient supply thanby soil moisture content or sand burial. Measurements on mostplant traits also varied depending on the two or three way interactionsamong the three environmental factors. Plants partially buriedby sand had higher leaf chlorophyll concentration than thoseunburied at the early stages of development, especially underlow soil moisture content. High nutrient supply tended to lowerthe leaf chlorophyll concentration of mature plants, and thiseffect was more pronounced under high as compared to low soilmoisture content. High nutrient supply enhanced the photosyntheticcapacity of plants when they were water stressed. With adequatesoil moisture, high nutrient supply increased/decreased thephotosynthetic capacity of plants with/without previous experienceof water stress. High nutrient supply increased the biomassallocation to the root system of plants, especially at low soilmoisture content. Partial sand burial also promoted biomassallocation to the root system of plants grown at low soil moisturecontent. Soil nutrition; water supply; sand accretion; multiple stresses; biomass allocation; Cakile edentula     

低磷胁迫对雷公藤幼苗形态指标及生物量的影响

采用土培的方法,研究了磷(P)胁迫对雷公藤(Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f.)1年生和3年生幼苗在一个生长季内形态指标及生物量的影响。结果表明:低P处理显著抑制了雷公藤幼苗地上部分的增长,而对地下部分的影响较小,导致根冠比的增加,在相同P水平处理下,3年生雷公藤的根冠比高于1年生的;低P胁迫显著影响了雷公藤的生物量积累及分配,雷公藤幼苗总生物量及1年生雷公藤细根生物量占根系生物量的比例下降,根系生物量在总生物量中的比例及3年生雷公藤细根生物量在根系生物量中的比例上升。这表明3年生雷公藤对P逆境有更好的适应机制,对低P林地套种雷公藤的苗龄选择有参考价值;雷公藤幼苗的株高、最长枝均与生物量呈显著的正相关,可作为耐低P雷公藤良种选育中优良性状的指标。中轻度的P胁迫不显著影响根系生物量的积累,维持较大比例的根系是雷公藤适应低P胁迫的主要策略。     

本地和外来草本物种对水分条件时间异质性的可塑响应

极端气候导致的干旱和水淹事件频发，影响了外来植物和本地植物的生长。为了解外来种和本地种植物对干旱和水淹事件发生顺序的响应，探讨草本植物适应水分时间异质性的策略，该文以美国蒙大拿州西部4种本地植物和4种外来植物为研究对象，将所有植物分别进行持续湿润(对照，CK)、水淹-干旱(I-D)和干旱-水淹(D-I)处理，并观测一系列形态和生物量特征的变化。结果表明：(1)与CK相比，D-I和I-D处理均显著降低了外来种的总生物量(P<0.05)。(2)D-I显著降低了本地种早期总生物量、后期地下生物量和根冠比，但显著提高了其后期的相对生长(P<0.05)。(3)D-I处理显著降低了所有植物的地下-地上生物量关系的异速指数，外来种异速指数显著高于本地种(P<0.05)。综上认为，极端事件(水淹和干旱)的发生顺序能改变外来植物和本地植物的生物量分配，早期干旱比后期干旱更容易减少植物生物量的积累，但能促进本地种后期的生长；本地种在环境胁迫下不被降低的总生物量表现说明维持表型稳定的能力较强；D-I处理下本地种和外来种地上和地下生物量关系的分配方式不同。     

Root morphology and water transport of Pistacia lentiscus seedlings under contrasting water supply: A test of the pipe stem theory

Restoration of degraded Mediterranean areas often requires the reintroduction of key-stone woody species but the establishment of seedlings of native species is frequently poor. This is partly due to insufficient knowledge of the ecology of these species at the seedling stage. Fast rooting and efficient water supply under water limiting conditions may be crucial to withstand summer drought and ensure establishment. However, knowledge of the relationship between root morphology and the water transport capacity of Mediterranean woody species in response to drought is still scarce. We evaluated the effect of low water availability on biomass allocation, root morphology and transpiration of a common Mediterranean shrub species, Pistacia lentiscus L. Seedlings of this species were grown in pots filled with soil under glasshouse conditions for 6 months, and irrigated either weekly (W+) or monthly (W?). Low water availability strongly reduced all fractions of biomass, and decreased relative biomass allocation belowground. Average diameter of fine roots colonising the soil was higher in W+ plants, but this resulted in only marginal effects on specific root length. Water limitation did not affect the topology of secondary roots colonising the soil. Surprisingly, the ratio of leaf area to coloniser roots surface area was higher in W? seedlings. Sapwood area was strongly correlated with leaf area, secondary roots cross-sectional area, and surface area of fine roots colonising the soil when all seedlings were pooled. In agreement with the pipe stem theory, the ratio of sapwood area to leaf area was not affected by watering regime. Plant water loss when soils were taken to field capacity was significantly correlated with leaf area, sapwood area, secondary roots cross-section area and coloniser roots surface area. Water loss at high water availability was greatly reduced in W? plants, as leaf area decreased and transpiration rates on a leaf area basis were similar in W+ and W? seedlings. P. lentiscus showed limited capacity to acclimate to low water availability by modifying biomass allocation and root morphology. Thus, parallel to what has been observed aboveground, this species can benefit from periods of high water availability by showing relatively high root growth rates, but may respond poorly to water scarcity.     

Hydrologic variability, water chemistry, and phytoplankton biomass in a large floodplain of the Sacramento River, CA, U.S.A.

The Yolo Bypass, a large, managed floodplain that discharges to the headwaters of the San Francisco Estuary, was studied before, during, and after a single, month-long inundation by the Sacramento River in winter and spring 2000. The primary objective was to identify hydrologic conditions and other factors that enhance production of phytoplankton biomass in the floodplain waters. Recent reductions in phytoplankton have limited secondary production in the river and estuary, and increased phytoplankton biomass is a restoration objective for this system. Chlorophyll a was used as a measure of phytoplankton biomass in this study. Chlorophyll a concentrations were low (<4 μg l^?1) during inundation by the river when flow through the floodplain was high, but concentrations rapidly increased as river inflow decreased and the floodplain drained. Therefore, hydrologic conditions in the weeks following inundation by river inflow appeared most important for producing phytoplankton biomass in the floodplain. Discharges from local streams were important sources of water to the floodplain before and after inundation by the river, and they supplied dissolved inorganic nutrients while chlorophyll a was increasing. Discharge from the floodplain was enriched in chlorophyll a relative to downstream locations in the river and estuary during the initial draining and later when local stream inflows produced brief discharge pulses. Based on the observation that phytoplankton biomass peaks during drainage events, we suggest that phytoplankton production in the floodplain and biomass transport to downstream locations would be higher in years with multiple inundation and draining sequences.     

Interspecific variation in functional traits of oak seedlings (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus ilex,Quercus trojana,Quercus virgiliana</Emphasis>) grown under artificial drought and fire conditions

To face summer drought and wildfire in Mediterranean-type ecosystems, plants adopt different strategies that involve considerable rearrangements of biomass allocation and physiological activity. This paper analyses morphological and physiological traits in seedlings of three oak species (Quercus ilex, Quercus trojana and Quercus virgiliana) co-occurring under natural conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate species-specific characteristics and the response of these oak seedlings to drought stress and fire treatment. Seedlings were kept in a growth chamber that mimicked natural environmental conditions. All three species showed a good degree of tolerance to drought and fire treatments. Differences in specific biomass allocation patterns and physiological traits resulted in phenotypic differences between species. In Q. ilex, drought tolerance depended upon adjustment of the allocation pattern. Q. trojana seedlings undergoing mild to severe drought presented a higher photosystem II (PSII) efficiency than control seedlings. Moreover, Q. trojana showed a very large root system, which corresponded to higher soil area exploitation, and bigger leaf midrib vascular bundles than the other two species. Morphological and physiological performances indicated Q. trojana as the most tolerant to drought and fire. These characteristics contribute to a high recruitment potential of Q. trojana seedlings, which might be the reason for the dominance of this species under natural conditions. Drought increase as a result of climate change is expected to favour Q. trojana, leading to an increase in its spatial distribution.     

Resource allocation in the submerged plant Vallisneria natans related to sediment type, rather than water-column nutrients

1. Phenotypic plasticity in resource allocation by Vallisneria natans was investigated in a greenhouse experiment, using three types of sediment [sandy loam, clay, and a 50 : 50 (by volume) mixture of the two sediments] and two levels of water‐column nutrient. The clay was collected from a highly eutrophic lake in Jiangsu Province, China, and the N and P concentrations applied in nutrient media were at the upper limits observed in most lakes of China. 2. Growth and biomass allocation were significantly affected by sediment type, rather than water‐column nutrients. Plant growth in clay and the mixture were similar, and 2.4–3.4 times higher than that in sandy loam. Compared with the plants grown in clay or the mixed sediments, the plants grown in sandy loam allocated relatively more biomass to root (11–17% versus 7–8% of total biomass), and relatively less to leaf (76–82% versus 86–87% of total biomass). Plastic variations in root area were induced by sediment type alone (P < 0.05), whereas the impacts of sediment type and water‐column nutrients on leaf area were insignificant (P > 0.05). 3. Plant N and P concentrations were significantly affected by both sediment type and water‐column nutrients. Increased nutrient availability in the water column enhanced plant N concentration by 3.5–20.2%, and plant P concentration by 19.1–25.8%. 4. Biomass accumulation and plant nutrient concentration in plants grown in different sediment types and water‐column nutrients indicate that sediment type had more significant impacts on growth and N and P concentrations of V. natans than did water‐column nutrients. Changes in phenotype are a functional response to nutrient availability in sediment, rather than to water‐column nutrients.