木兰科常绿与落叶物种叶片构建策略的差异

为探究木兰科(Magnoliaceae)常绿与落叶物种叶片构建的生理生态策略,选取黄山木兰(Yulaniacylindrica)、玉兰(Y.denudata)和鸡公山玉兰(Y. jigongshanensis) 3种落叶物种,以及荷花玉兰(Magnolia grandiflora)、含笑花(Michelia figo)、石碌含笑(M. shiluensis) 3种常绿物种,对其叶片构建成本和叶片寿命相关的性状进行比较。结果表明,木兰科3落叶种的单位叶片面积成本(CCarea)显著低于3常绿种,但落叶和常绿物种的叶片质量成本(CCmass)差异不显著。落叶物种的叶氮、磷含量(Nmass,Pmass)和比叶面积(SLA)均显著高于常绿物种,而叶片寿命(LLS)显著低于常绿物种。CCarea与LLS呈显著正相关,Nmass、Pmass和SLA均与LLS呈显著负相关。这说明木兰科玉兰属落叶物种单位面积叶片构建成本小于常绿物种;落叶物种叶片寿命短,但采取低成本构建策略,提高比叶面积获得更多光资源,增加营养积累,也揭示了玉兰属落叶物种适应北亚热带较短的生长季和较低水热条件的生理生态策略。     

Leaf functional traits of Neotropical savanna trees in relation to seasonal water deficit

The seasonal savannas (cerrados) of Central Brazil are characterized by a large diversity of evergreen and deciduous trees, which do not show a clear differentiation in terms of active rooting depth. Irrespective of the depth of the root system, expansion of new foliage in deciduous species occurs at the end of the dry season. In this study, we examined a suite of leaf traits related to C assimilation, water and nutrients (N, P) in five deciduous and six evergreen trees that were among the dominant families of cerrado vegetation. Maximum CO₂ assimilation on a mass basis (A_mass) was significantly correlated with leaf N and P, and specific leaf area (SLA; leaf area per unit of leaf mass). The highest leaf concentrations of both nutrients were measured in the newly mature leaves of deciduous species at the end of the dry period. The differences in terms of leaf N and P between evergreen and deciduous species decreased during the wet season. Deciduous species also invested less in the production of non-photosynthetic leaf tissues and produced leaves with higher SLA and maintained higher water use efficiency. Thus, deciduous species compensated for their shorter leaf payback period by maintaining higher potential payback capacity (higher values of A_mass) and lower leaf construction costs (higher SLA). Their short leafless period and the capacity to flush by the end of the dry season may also contribute to offset the longer payback period of evergreen species, although it may involve the higher cost of maintaining a deep-root system or a tight control of plant water balance in the shallow-rooted ones.     

Differential impact of liana colonization on the leaf functional traits of co-occurring deciduous and evergreen trees in a tropical dry scrub forest

The present study was carried out to analyze the leaf functional traits of co-occurring evergreen and deciduous tree species in a tropical dry scrub forest. This study also intended to check whether the species with contrasting leaf habits differ in their leaf trait plasticity, responding to the canopy infestation by lianas. A total of 11 leaf functional traits were studied for eight tree species with contrasting leaf habits (evergreen and deciduous) and liana-colonization status (with or without liana). In the liana-free environment (L^–), evergreen trees had significantly higher leaf tissue density (LTD) and total chlorophyll (CHL_t) than the deciduous species. Whereas the deciduous trees had higher specific leaf area (SLA) and mass-based leaf nitrogen concentration (N_mass). The leaf trait-pair relationship in the present study agreed with the well-established global trait-pair relationships (leaf thickness (LT) vs. SLA, N_mass vs. LT, SLA vs. N_mass, and LDMC vs. SLA). There was a significant difference between L⁺ and L^– individuals in leaf area (LA), petiole length (PL), SLA, LDMC, and CHL_t in the deciduous species. On the other hand, evergreen species showed marked differences across LT, SLA, LTD, N_mass, and chlorophyll components between L⁺ and L^– individuals of the same species. The results revealed the differential impact of liana colonization on the host trees with contrasting leaf habits. The deciduous species with the acquisitive strategy can have a competitive advantage over evergreen species in the exposed environments (L^–), whereas evergreen species with shade-tolerant properties were better acclimated to the shaded environments (L⁺). Therefore, liana colonization can significantly impact the C-fixation strategies of the host trees by altering their light environment and further, the magnitude of such impact may vary among species of different leaf habits. The result also indicated the patterns of convergence and divergence in some of the leaf functional traits between evergreen and deciduous species explaining the patterns of species co-existence.

     

Photosynthesis-nitrogen relations in Amazonian tree species

The relationships between leaf nitrogen (N), specific leaf area (SLA) (an inverse index of leaf thickness or density), and photosynthetic capacity (A_max) were studied in 23 Amazonian tree species to characterize scaling in these properties among natural populations of leaves of different ages and light microenvironments, and to examine how variation within species in N and SLA can influence the expression of the A_max-to-N relationship on mass versus area bases. The slope of the A_max-N relationship, change in A per change in N (mol CO₂ gN^-1 s^-1), was consistently greater, by as much as 300%, when both measures were expressed on mass rather than area bases. The x-intercept of this relationship (N-compensation point) was generally positive on a mass but not an area basis. In this paper we address the causes and implications of such differences. Significant linear relationships (p<0.05) between mass-based leaf N (N_mass) and SLA were observed in 12 species and all 23 regressions had positive slopes. In 13 species, mass-based A_max (A_mass) was positively related (p<0.05) with SLA. These patterns reflect the concurrent decline in N_mass and SLA with increasing leaf age. Significant (p<0.05) relationships between area-based leaf N (N_area) and SLA were observed in 18 species. In this case, all relationships had negative slopes. Taken collectively, and consistent in all species, as SLA decreased (leaves become thicker) across increasing leaf age and light gradients, N_mass also decreased, but proportionally more slowly, such that N_area increased. Due to the linear dependence of A_mass on N_mass and a negative 4-intercept, thicker leaves (low SLA) therefore tend, on average, to have lower N_mass and A_mass but higher N_area than thinner leaves. This tendency towards decreasing A_mass with increasing N_area, resulting in a lower slope of the A_max-N relationship on an area than mass basis in 16 of 17 species where both were significant. For the sole species exception (higher area than mass-based slope) variation in N_area was related to variation in N_mass and not in SLA, and thus, these data are also consistent with this explanation. The relations between N, SLA and A_max explain how the rate of change in A_max per change in N can vary three-fold depending on whether a mass or area mode of expression is used.     

广西猫儿山不同海拔常绿树种和落叶树种光合速率与氮的关系

分析广西猫儿山不同海拔常绿和落叶树种的光合作用-氮关系,探讨光合氮利用效率(PNUE)是否受到叶片习性和海拔的影响。落叶树种的PNUE都显著高于常绿树种,这与前者有较低的比叶重(LMA)和较高的单位叶重光合速率(Amass)、氮含量和气孔导度(gs)有密切关系。高海拔树种的PNUE显著低于中低海拔树种的PNUE,这与前者较高的LMA和较低的Amass和gs相关。PNUE和相关的叶片特征的主成分分析表明常绿-落叶树种和低海拔-中海拔-高海拔树种的分布是一个自然过渡的过程。此外,PNUE与土壤碳:氮比没有显著相关性,但与年均温正相关,这表明温度气候是调节PNUE沿海拔变化的主要环境因素。因此,这种叶片习性和温度气候调节的PNUE变化可能是调节猫儿山常绿树种沿海拔形成双峰分布的一种机制。     

唐古特白刺叶功能性状沿气候梯度的变异特征

叶功能性状与植物的生长对策及资源利用效率密切相关,研究叶功能性状沿气候梯度的变异特征能为理解植物对气候变化的响应机制提供一种简便可行的测定指标。以我国西北荒漠地区广泛分布的唐古特白刺（Nitraria tangutorum）为研究对象,对其比叶面积（SLA）、单位质量和单位面积叶氮含量（N_mass、N_area）、单位质量和单位面积叶建成成本（CC_mass、CC_area）进行测定,分析这些叶功能性状及性状相关关系沿气候梯度的变异特征。结果表明,唐古特白刺叶功能性状（CC_area除外）在气候梯度下存在显著差异,其中,温度是决定唐古特白刺SLA变化的主要因子,SLA随着温度的增加而增加;降水和温度对唐古特白刺N_mass、N_area和CC_mass均有显著影响,N_mass和N_area随着降水和温度的增加而降低,而CC_mass呈增加趋势。沿气候梯度,唐古特白刺SLA-N_mass、CC_mass-N_mass和CC_area-N_area的线性正相关关系发生平移,导致在相同SLA、CC_mass和CC_area下,降水和温度较低的地区具有更高的N_mass和N_area。这一结果表明唐古特白刺能通过调节叶功能性状之间的关系来适应气候的变化,并形成性状间的最佳功能组合。     

西藏紫花针茅叶功能性状沿降水梯度的变化

植物叶功能性状与环境因子的关系是近10年来植物生态学的研究热点。该文以广泛分布于青藏高原干旱、半干旱草地的优势植物种紫花针茅(Stipa purpurea)为研究对象, 沿降水梯度(69-479 mm)系统测定了日土、改则、珠峰、当雄和纳木错5个调查地点紫花针茅比叶面积(SLA)、单位重量和单位面积叶氮含量(N_mass, N_area)、叶密度和厚度等叶功能性状以及土壤全氮含量等因子, 试图验证干旱胁迫地区同一物种内SLA-N_mass关系沿降水梯度的策略位移现象是否具有普遍性, 并对是否出现策略位移现象提出可能的解释。研究结果表明: 1) SLA和N_mass与生长季温度和降水以及土壤全氮含量均没有显著关系, SLA与N_mass的关系在干旱半干旱区(年降水/蒸发比< 0.11)与半湿润区(年降水/蒸发比> 0.11)之间并没有出现典型的位移现象; 2)叶密度是决定半湿润区SLA变化的主导因子, 而叶厚度则是干旱半干旱区SLA变化的控制因子, 两者与SLA均呈负相关, 随着温度增加或降水减少, 叶厚度增加而叶密度降低, 导致SLA随温度和降水变化不明显; 3)半湿润区的叶密度增加引起N_area增加, 而干旱半干旱区的叶厚度增加并没有造成N_area的显著变化, 导致N_area沿降水梯度没有显著变化; 4)紫花针茅地上生物量与N_area具有显著正相关关系, 表明N_area的增加有助于提高植被生产力。结果表明, 在干旱胁迫下, 植物通过增加叶厚度来维持不变的N_area可能有助于保持与较湿润地区相似的光合生产和水分利用效率。叶厚度和叶密度对比叶面积的相对影响在干旱半干旱区与半湿润区之间发生转变, 这为进一步检测高寒草地植被的水分限制阈值提供了新思路。     

Leaf-trait relationships of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus liaotungensis</Emphasis> along an altitudinal gradient in Dongling Mountain,Beijing

Few studies have examined leaf-trait relationships in the distribution of individual species along an environmental gradient. Here we address the issue by testing for the leaf-trait relationships of Quercus liaotungensis, a dominant deciduous woody species in northern China, along an altitudinal gradient in Dongling Mountain, Beijing. These leaf traits included specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and leaf nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentration on mass basis (N_mass, P_mass and K_mass, respectively). Along the altitudinal gradient, negative relationships between SLA and LDMC and N_mass were found, and N_mass, P_mass and K_mass correlated with each other positively. Relationship between N_mass and P_mass was stronger than the ones between N_mass and K_mass, and between P_mass and K_mass. The weak and negative relationship between SLA and N_mass might result from trade-offs that limit photosynthesis and water use efficiency along the altitudinal gradient, suggesting many environmental factors of local site being the collective forcing of drivers. Out of our expectations, N_mass and P_mass related very weakly to soil N and P, and no significant relationship between K_mass and soil K was found along elevation. These relationships could be used to predict the productivity of the population with changing environment in this region.     

Leaf trait co‐variation,response and effect in a chronosequence

Question: Is there any generality in terms of leaf trait correlations and the multiple role of leaf traits (response to and/or effect on) during secondary succession? Location: A secondary successional sere was sampled at four different ages since abandonment from several years to nearly 150 years on the Loess Plateau of northwestern China. Method: Specific leaf area (SLA), leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf nitrogen (N_mass, N_area), leaf phosphorus (P_mass, P_area) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) were measured for all species recorded in the successional sere. Above‐ground net primary productivity (ANPP) and specific rate of litter mass loss (SRLML) were measured as surrogates for ecosystem properties. Soil total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) were measured in each stage. Leaf traits were related to ecosystem properties and soil nutrient gradients, respectively. Results: LMA is correlated with N_area and P_area' and negatively with N_mass. Correlation between N_area and P_area was higher than between N_mass and P_mass. At the community level, field age, community hierarchy and their interaction explain 64.4 ‐ 93.5% of the variation in leaf traits. At the species level, field age explains 22.4 ‐ 45.5% of the variation in leaf traits (excl. P_area) while plant functional group has a significant effect only for N_mass. LDMC is correlated with ANPP and negatively with SRLML; P_mass is correlated with SRLML. Conclusions: Mean values of LMA, N_mass and N_area are close to the worldwide means, suggesting that large‐scale climate has a profound effect on leaf mass and leaf nitrogen allocation, while environmental gradients represented by succession have little influence on leaf‐trait values. Correlations between leaf traits, such as LMA‐N_area, LMA‐P_area and LMA‐N_mass shown in previous studies, are confirmed here. Although none of the leaf traits is proved to be both a response trait and an effect trait independent of time scale and community hierarchy, mass‐based leaf N is likely a sensitive response trait to soil C and N gradients. In addition, LDMC can be a marker for ANPP and SRLML, while mass‐based leaf P can be a marker for SRLML.     

Quantifying the response of photosynthesis to changes in leaf nitrogen content and leaf mass per area in plants grown under atmospheric CO2 enrichment

Previous modelling exercises and conceptual arguments have predicted that a reduction in biochemical capacity for photosynthesis (A_area) at elevated CO₂ may be compensated by an increase in mesophyll tissue growth if the total amount of photosynthetic machinery per unit leaf area is maintained (i.e. morphological upregulation). The model prediction was based on modelling photosynthesis as a function of leaf N per unit leaf area (N_area), where N_area = N_mass×LMA. Here, N_mass is percentage leaf N and is used to estimate biochemical capacity and LMA is leaf mass per unit leaf area and is an index of leaf morphology. To assess the relative importance of changes in biochemical capacity versus leaf morphology we need to control for multiple correlations that are known, or that are likely to exist between CO₂ concentration, N_area, N_mass, LMA and A_area. Although this is impractical experimentally, we can control for these correlations statistically using systems of linear multiple-regression equations. We developed a linear model to partition the response of A_area to elevated CO₂ into components representing the independent and interactive effects of changes in indexes of biochemical capacity, leaf morphology and CO₂ limitation of photosynthesis. The model was fitted to data from three pine and seven deciduous tree species grown in separate chamber-based field experiments. Photosynthetic enhancement at elevated CO₂ due to morphological upregulation was negligible for most species. The response of A_area in these species was dominated by the reduction in CO₂ limitation occurring at higher CO₂ concentration. However, some species displayed a significant reduction in potential photosynthesis at elevated CO₂ due to an increase in LMA that was independent of any changes in N_area. This morphologically based inhibition of A_area combined additively with a reduction in biochemical capacity to significantly offset the direct enhancement of A_area caused by reduced CO₂ limitation in two species. This offset was 100% for Acer rubrum, resulting in no net effect of elevated CO₂ on A_area for this species, and 44% for Betula pendula. This analysis shows that interactions between biochemical and morphological responses to elevated CO₂ can have important effects on photosynthesis.     

重庆石灰岩地区主要木本植物叶片性状及养分再吸收特征

以重庆石灰岩地区15种常绿木本植物和14种落叶木本植物为研究对象,对两种生活型植物叶片衰老前后叶干物质含量(LDMC)、比叶面积(SLA)和叶片厚度(LT)进行了比较,并采用不同的计算方法(单位质量叶片养分含量、单位面积叶片养分含量)分析了两类植物叶片衰老前后养分含量及再吸收特征,最后对养分再吸收效率与其他叶性状因子之间的关系进行了相关分析。结果表明:常绿植物成熟叶LDMC、LT及衰老叶LT显著低于落叶植物,落叶植物成熟叶和衰老叶SLA均显著高于常绿植物(P0.05);基于单位质量叶片计算的养分含量,常绿植物成熟和衰老叶N、P量均低于落叶植物,而基于单位面积叶片计算的N、P含量则表现出相反的趋势;基于不同方法计算的N、P再吸收效率差异不明显,其中常绿植物基于单位质量叶片养分含量计算的N、P平均再吸收效率为39.42%、43.79%,落叶植物的为24.08%、33.59%;常绿和落叶植物N、P再吸收效率与LDMC、SLA、LT和成熟叶N、P含量之间没有显著相关性,但与衰老叶养分含量存在显著负相关(P0.05)。研究发现,无论是常绿植物还是落叶植物,衰老叶N、P含量均较低,表明石灰岩地区植物具有较高的养分再吸收程度。     

Leaf traits and water relations of 12 evergreen species in Costa Rican wet and dry forests: patterns of intra-specific variation across forests and seasons

This study examined variation in leaf traits and water relations in 12 evergreen and semideciduous woody species that occur in both seasonal wet and dry forests in Costa Rica and compared intra-specific leaf–trait correlations to those found in inter-specific global studies. The following traits were measured in both forests across seasons for 2 years: leaf nitrogen (N), leaf carbon (C), specific leaf area (SLA), toughness, cuticle thickness, leaf thickness, and leaf lifespan (LLS). Leaf water potential (LWP) and water content (LWC) were measured as indices of plant available water. Canopy openness, soil moisture, and herbivory were also measured to compare environmental variation across sites. Although species contributed the greatest amount to variation in traits, season, forest, and their interaction had a large influence on patterns of intra-specific leaf–trait variation. Leaf traits that contributed most to variation across sites were C, LWP, leaf thickness, and SLA. Traits that contributed most to variation across seasons were leaf toughness, LWP, and LWC. Furthermore, leaf traits were more correlated (i.e., number and strength of correlations) in the dry than in the wet forest. In contrast to results from global literature syntheses, there was no correlation between LLS and N, or LLS and SLA. Both light and water availability vary seasonally and may be causing variation in a number of leaf traits, specifically those that relate to water relations and leaf economics. Strong seasonality may cause leaf–trait relationships at the local scale to differ from those documented in continental and global-scale studies.     

Leaf attributes and tree growth in a tropical dry forest

Questions: How are leaf attributes and relative growth rate (RGR) of the dominant tree species of tropical deciduous forest (TDF) affected by seasonal changes in soil moisture content (SMC)? What is the relationship of functional attributes with each other? Can leaf attributes singly or in combination predict the growth rate of tree species of TDF? Location: Sonebhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, India. Methods: Eight leaf attributes, specific leaf area (SLA); leaf carbon concentration (LCC); leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC); leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC); chlorophyll concentration (Chl), mass‐based stomatal conductance (Gs_mass); mass based photosynthetic rate (A_mass); intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi); and relative growth rate (RGR), of six dominant tree species of a dry tropical forest on four sites were analysed for species, site and season effects over a 2‐year period. Step‐wise multiple regression was performed for predicting RGR from mean values of SMC and leaf attributes. Path analysis was used to determine which leaf attributes influence RGR directly and which indirectly. Results: Species differed significantly in terms of all leaf attributes and RGR. The response of species varied across sites and seasons. The attributes were positively interrelated, except for WUEi, which was negatively related to all other attributes. The positive correlation was strongest between Gs_mass and A_mass and the negative correlation was strongest between Gs_mass and WUEi. Differences in RGR due to site were not significant when soil moisture was controlled, but differences due to season remained significant. The attributes showed plasticity across moisture gradients, which differed among attributes and species. Gs_mass was the most plastic attribute. Among the six species, Terminalia tomentosa exhibited the greatest plasticity in six functional attributes. In the step‐wise multiple regression, A_mass, SLA and Chl among leaf attributes and SMC among environmental factors influenced the RGR of tree species. Path analysis indicated the importance of SLA, LNC, Chl and A_mass in determining RGR. Conclusion: A _mass, SMC, SLA and Chl in combination can be used to predict RGR but could explain only three‐quarters of the variability in RGR, indicating that other traits/factors, not studied here, are also important in modulating growth of tropical trees. RGR of tree species in the dry tropical environment is determined by soil moisture, whereas the response of mature trees of different species is modulated by alterations in key functional attributes such as SLA, LNC and Chl.     

不同种源五角枫幼苗叶片N、P化学计量学特征对氮添加的响应

不同土壤氮环境下植物对氮沉降的响应趋势不同,因此研究不同种源地的五角枫(Acer mono)对氮沉降的响应机理具有重要的意义。为了深入了解不同种源五角枫对氮沉降的适应和响应机制,主要通过3个种源的五角枫幼苗氮添加控制实验,分析不同种源的五角枫幼苗比叶面积(SLA)和叶片干物质含量(LMDC)以及叶片N、P含量和N∶P对氮添加的响应规律。结果表明:(1)不同氮添加处理下,内蒙古种源五角枫幼苗(NW)和山西种源五角枫幼苗(SW)的LDMC均显著低于对照,NW和SW在N4条件下表现为显著的促进作用。随着氮添加浓度的增加,NW与北京种源的五角枫幼苗(BW)的SLA在N4条件下显著增加;SW的SLA在N2的水平下显著增加。(2)氮添加下,只有SW的P_(mass)在N1水平下显著增加,N_(mass)在N1和N3水平下表现为显著增加。说明在低氮水平下,能够促进SW对P的吸收,从而增加植物体内对P的积累。同时在低氮和中高氮条件下,能够促进SW对N的吸收,说明SW能较好的适应低氮和高氮环境,使其生存能力更强。(3)分析变异来源及各指标的相关性得出,氮添加条件下,五角枫的SLA、LDMC、P_(area)及N∶P与氮添加处理呈显著的相关关系,而SLA、LDMC、N_(mass)、P_(mass)、Narea、P_(area)和N∶P对氮添加处理和种源的交互作用均未表现出相关关系,说明引起五角枫各性状主要受氮添加处理影响。(4)综合各指标的变化,氮添加条件下,NW的LDMC显著降低,SLA显著增大,同时叶N含量、叶P含量以及N∶P比较高;SW的LDMC显著降低,SLA增大,同时叶N含量、叶P含量表现为显著增大,结合叶经济谱理论分析得出,SW和NW属于"快速投资-收益"型,而BW倾向于"缓慢投资-收益"型。因此,不同种源的五角枫对于氮沉降的响应存在差异,并且持续的氮添加已经改变了五角枫的适应性。     

Global patterns of intraspecific leaf trait responses to elevation

Elevational gradients are often used to quantify how traits of plant species respond to abiotic and biotic environmental variations. Yet, such analyses are frequently restricted spatially and applied along single slopes or mountain ranges. Since we know little on the response of intraspecific leaf traits to elevation across the globe, we here perform a global meta‐analysis of leaf traits in 109 plant species located in 4 continents and reported in 71 studies published between 1983 and 2018. We quantified the intraspecific change in seven morpho‐ecophysiological leaf traits along global elevational gradients: specific leaf area (SLA), leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf area (LA), nitrogen concentration per unit of area (Narea), nitrogen concentration per unit mass (Nmass), phosphorous concentration per unit mass (Pmass) and carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C). We found LMA, Narea, Nmass and δ¹³C to significantly increase and SLA to decrease with increasing elevation. Conversely, LA and Pmass showed no significant pattern with elevation worldwide. We found significantly larger increase in Narea, Nmass, Pmass and δ¹³C with elevation in warmer regions. Larger responses to increasing elevation were apparent for SLA of herbaceous compared to woody species, but not for the other traits. Finally, we also detected evidences of covariation across morphological and physiological traits within the same elevational gradient. In sum, we demonstrate that there are common cross‐species patterns of intraspecific leaf trait variation across elevational gradients worldwide. Irrespective of whether such variation is genetically determined via local adaptation or attributed to phenotypic plasticity, the leaf trait patterns quantified here suggest that plant species are adapted to live on a range of temperature conditions. Since the distribution of mountain biota is predominantly shifting upslope in response to changes in environmental conditions, our results are important to further our understanding of how plants species of mountain ecosystems adapt to global environmental change.     

混交比例对桉树-乡土树种混交林优势树种叶片资源获取性状的影响

桉树-乡土树种混交林在提高林分生产力和生态系统功能等方面具有较大潜力。该研究以南亚热带4种桉树-乡土树种混交林(桉树与乡土树种混交比例分别为5:5、6:4、7:3、8:2)和桉树纯林为研究对象,研究了3种优势乡土树种华润楠(Machilus chinensis)、阴香(Cinnamomum burmannii)、灰木莲(Manglietia glauca)和速生树种尾叶桉(Eucalyptus urophylla)的叶片生理、结构和化学性状在不同比例混交林中的差异。结果表明,4优势造林树种的叶片性状存在明显的种间差异,其中灰木莲的比叶面积(SLA)、光合磷利用效率(PPUE)、单位质量叶片最大光合速率(A_mass)和蒸腾速率(T_mass)以及叶片养分含量最高,说明灰木莲采取资源获取型的生态策略;尾叶桉的SLA、A_mass、T_mass及叶片养分含量最低,但具有最高的PPUE,说明尾叶桉兼顾了资源获取型和保守型的物种特征。灰木莲与尾叶桉在SLA、A_mass、T_mass     

Herbivory alters plant carbon assimilation,patterns of biomass allocation and nitrogen use efficiency

Herbivory can trigger physiological processes resulting in leaf and whole plant functional changes. The effects of chronic infestation by an insect on leaf traits related to carbon and nitrogen economy in three Prunus avium cultivars were assessed. Leaves from non-infested trees (control) and damaged leaves from infested trees were selected. The insect larvae produce skeletonization of the leaves leaving relatively intact the vein network of the eaten leaves and the abaxial epidermal tissue. At the leaf level, nitrogen content per mass (N_mass) and per area (N_area), net photosynthesis per mass (A_mass) and per area (A_area), photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE), leaf mass per area (LMA) and total leaf phenols content were measured in the three cultivars. All cultivars responded to herbivory in a similar fashion. The N_mass, A_mass, and PNUE decreased, while LMA and total content of phenols increased in partially damaged leaves. Increases in herbivore pressure resulted in lower leaf size and total leaf area per plant across cultivars. Despite this, stem cumulative growth tended to increase in infected plants suggesting a change in the patterns of biomass allocation and in resources sequestration elicited by herbivory. A larger N investment in defenses instead of photosynthetic structures may explain the lower PNUE and A_mass observed in damaged leaves. Some physiological changes due to herbivory partially compensate for the cost of leaf removal buffering the carbon economy at the whole plant level.     

Different leaf cost–benefit strategies of ferns distributed in contrasting light habitats of sub-tropical forests

Background and Aims Ferns are abundant in sub-tropical forests in southern China, with some species being restricted to shaded understorey of natural forests, while others are widespread in disturbed, open habitats. To explain this distribution pattern, we hypothesize that ferns that occur in disturbed forests (FDF) have a different leaf cost–benefit strategy compared with ferns that occur in natural forests (FNF), with a quicker return on carbon investment in disturbed habitats compared with old-growth forests.Methods We chose 16 fern species from contrasting light habitats (eight FDF and eight FNF) and studied leaf functional traits, including leaf life span (LLS), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations (N and P), maximum net photosynthetic rates (A), leaf construction cost (CC) and payback time (PBT), to conduct a leaf cost–benefit analysis for the two fern groups.Key Results The two groups, FDF and FNF, did not differ significantly in SLA, leaf N and P, and CC, but FDF had significantly higher A, greater photosynthetic nitrogen- and phosphorus-use efficiencies (PNUE and PPUE), and shorter PBT and LLS compared with FNF. Further, across the 16 fern species, LLS was significantly correlated with A, PNUE, PPUE and PBT, but not with SLA and CC.Conclusions Our results demonstrate that leaf cost–benefit analysis contributes to understanding the distribution pattern of ferns in contrasting light habitats of sub-tropical forests: FDF employing a quick-return strategy can pre-empt resources and rapidly grow in the high-resource environment of open habitats; while a slow-return strategy in FNF allows their persistence in the shaded understorey of old-growth forests.     

Community succession and photosynthetic physiological characteristics of pasture plants in a sub-alpine meadow in Gannan,China

 为了解甘南亚高山草甸围封地恢复演替动态, 探究围封恢复进程中植物光合生理特征的变化规律及其影响因子, 对围封试验地内5个典型群落样地进行样方调查, 测定了各群落优势种及3个共有种的光合参数和叶性状参数, 并测定了群落表层土壤(0–20 cm)的水分含量及全氮含量。结果显示: 该围封地内形成一个以草本植物→半灌木→灌木的演替序列, 群落表层土壤含水量及全氮含量随着演替的进行逐渐增加; 在演替的时间尺度上, 各演替阶段优势种光合生理特征间存在明显差异, 随着演替的进行, 群落优势种的净光合速率(A_area)、光合水分利用效率(WUE)、相对叶绿素含量(SPAD)呈降低趋势, 其叶片氮含量(N_mass)、光合氮利用效率(PNUE)、比叶面积(SLA)随演替变化没有严格一致的规律, 而更多地表现为不同植物功能型之间的差异; 从演替前期到后期, 同种植物的A_area、SPAD值逐渐降低, 非豆科植物披碱草(Elymus dahuricus)、老鹳草(Geranium wilfordii)的PNUE、WUE随演替进行呈降低趋势, 其N_mass、SLA随演替进行却呈增加趋势, 然而豆科植物紫苜蓿(Medicago sativa)由于具有固氮能力, 受养分限制不明显, 这些光合生理特征值没有随演替发生明显的变化。这些结果表明, 在恢复演替过程中, 该围封地由一个物质获得能力强的群落向物质保持能力强的群落过渡, 土壤水分含量及全氮含量是推动这种过渡发生的主要因子。掌握围封地群落演替过程中的光合生理动态对于亚高寒退化草甸恢复具有一定的理论指导意义。     

Coordination of leaf N,anatomy, photosynthetic capacity,and hydraulics enhances evergreen expansive potential

Key message

Reduced leaf longevity, N-fixation, and enhanced hydraulic capacity combined support greater shifts in seasonal photosynthetic capacity of an expansive understory evergreen woody species relative to co-occurring less expansive evergreen species.

Abstract

Physiological functioning typically declines with increased leaf life span. While an evergreen leaf habit is generally associated with reduced leaf N, physiological capacity, and slower growth, most expansive woody species are evergreens and/or N fixers. An evergreen leaf habit enables year-round activity and less investment in carbon and nutrients, while N-fixation enhances photosynthetic capacity. Our objective was to compare anatomy and physiology of three woody evergreens Ilex opaca Aiton (Aquifoliaceae), Kalmia latifolia L. (Ericaceae), and Myrica cerifera (Myricaceae) of varying leaf longevity, N-fixation capability, and known expansive potential in a deciduous forest understory to determine if seasonal physiological performance integrated these factors. We hypothesized that I. opaca (non-expansive) and K. latifolia (moderately expansive), which have longer leaf longevities, would have reduced physiological performance compared to M. cerifera (expansive), which has shorter leaf longevity, and symbiotically fixes atmospheric N. Stomatal conductance to water vapor, photosynthetic and hydraulic capacities, specific leaf area, and leaf %N decreased with increasing leaf life span; however, trends among species were not consistent seasonally. While hydraulic capacity remained constant throughout the year, photosynthetic capacity did not. During the growing season, M. cerifera displayed photosynthetic capacity similar to deciduous species, yet, during the winter, photosynthetic capacity was similar to the slower-growing evergreens. Reduced leaf life span, enhanced hydraulic capacity, and nitrogen fixation support the seasonal shift in photosynthetic capacity observed in M. cerifera. This “hybrid” strategy enables M. cerifera to maximize productivity during months of optimal conditions, thereby promoting rapid growth and expansion in the understory.