祁连山北坡霸王枝-叶性状关系的个体大小差异

枝与叶片权衡关系的个体大小差异性, 是物种形成不同冠层结构充分利用空间资源的一种策略, 有利于植株通过构型调整自身的光合效率和增强竞争力。在祁连山北坡荒漠草地, 根据体积将霸王(Zygophyllum xanthoxylum)分为3个大小等级(I级: (植株体积的立方根(d) ≤ 60 cm)、II级(60 cm < d ≤ 120 cm)和III级(d > 120 cm)), 采用标准化主轴估计方法, 研究了不同大小等级霸王种群枝长度与叶面积、叶数量的生长关系。结果表明: 随着植株大小等级增大, 霸王的枝长度、叶面积、枝横截面积逐渐增大, 叶数量呈逐渐减小趋势; 霸王枝长度的增长速度大于或等于叶面积的增长速度, 枝长度的增加速度大于叶数量的增加速度; 随着个体大小等级的增加, 霸王枝长度与叶面积的异速斜率、枝长度与叶数量回归方程的y轴截距均显著减小, 即植株叶面积与枝长度比值、叶数量的投入均显著降低。为提高资源利用效率, 霸王小个体植株倾向于短枝上着生大量的小叶, 大个体植株趋向于长枝上着生少量的大叶, 随植株大小等级增加, 叶面积增加而叶数量降低, 对小枝的资源配置具有一定的影响。

Plant size differences with twig and leaf traits of Zygophyllum xanthoxylum in the northern slope of Qilian Mountains,China

Understanding the effects of plant size on the trade-off between twigs and leaves is important for revealing strategies of plants forming different canopy structure, making full use of space resources, and enhancing their photosynthetic efficiency and competitiveness with adjusting plant configuration. Our objective was to study how twig and leaf traits of Zygophyllum xanthoxylum depended on size in the northern slope of Qilian Mountains, China.