scholarly journals Differentiation in stem and leaf traits among sympatric lianas, scandent shrubs and trees in a subalpine cold temperate forest

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke-Yan Zhang ◽  
Da Yang ◽  
Yun-Bing Zhang ◽  
David S Ellsworth ◽  
Kun Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Vessel Diameter ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Habit ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
Clear Differentiation ◽  
First Time

Abstract The scandent shrub plant form is a variant of liana that has upright and self-supporting stems when young but later becomes a climber. We aimed to explore the associations of stem and leaf traits among sympatric lianas, scandent shrubs and trees, and the effects of growth form and leaf habit on variation in stem or leaf traits. We measured 16 functional traits related to stem xylem anatomy, leaf morphology and nutrient stoichiometry in eight liana, eight scandent shrub and 21 tree species co-occurring in a subalpine cold temperate forest at an elevation of 2,600–3,200 m in Southwest China. Overall, lianas, scandent shrubs and trees were ordered along a fast-slow continuum of stem and leaf functional traits, with some traits overlapping. We found a consistent pattern of lianas > scandent shrubs > trees for hydraulically weighted vessel diameter, maximum vessel diameter and theoretical hydraulic conductivity. Vessel density and sapwood density showed a pattern of lianas = scandent shrubs < trees, and lianas < scandent shrubs = trees, respectively. Lianas had significantly higher specific leaf area and lower carbon concentration than co-occurring trees, with scandent shrubs showing intermediate values that overlapped with lianas and trees. The differentiation among lianas, scandent shrubs and trees was mainly explained by variation in stem traits. Additionally, deciduous lianas were positioned at the fast end of the trait spectrum, and evergreen trees at the slow end of the spectrum. Our results showed for the first time clear differentiation in stem and leaf traits among sympatric liana, scandent shrub and tree species in a subalpine cold temperate forest. This work will contribute to understanding the mechanisms responsible for variation in ecological strategies of different growth forms of woody plants.

Differential impact of liana colonization on the leaf functional traits of co-occurring deciduous and evergreen trees

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
vivek pandi ◽  
Kanda Naveen Babu
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Differential Impact ◽  
Deciduous Species ◽  
Evergreen Species ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Trait ◽  
Host Trees ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract The present study was carried out to analyse 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 12 leaf functional traits were studied for eight tree species with contrasting leaf habits (evergreen and deciduous) and liana-colonization status (Liana+ and Liana−). In the liana-free environment (L−), evergreen trees had significantly higher specific leaf mass (LMA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) than the deciduous species. Whereas, the deciduous trees had higher specific leaf area (SLA) and mass-based leaf nitrogen concentration (Nmass). The leaf trait-pair relationship in the present study agreed to the well-established global trait-pair relationships (SLA Vs Nmass, Lth Vs SLA, Nmass Vs Lth, Nmass Vs LDMC, LDMC Vs SLA). There was no significant difference between L+ and L− individuals in any leaf functional traits studied in the deciduous species. However, evergreen species showed marked differences in the total chlorophyll content (Chlt), chlorophyll b (Chlb), SLA, and LMA between L+ and L− individuals of the same species. Deciduous species with the acquisitive strategy can have a competitive advantage over evergreen species in the exposed environment (L−) whereas, evergreen species with shade-tolerant properties were better acclimated to the shaded environments (L+). The result revealed the patterns of convergence and divergence in some of the leaf functional traits between evergreen and deciduous species. The results also showed the differential impact of liana colonization on the host trees with contrasting leaf habits. Therefore, liana colonization can significantly impact the C-fixation strategies of the host trees by altering their light environment. Further, the magnitude of such impact may vary among species of different leaf habits. The increased proliferation of lianas in the tropical forest canopies may pose a severe threat to the whole forest carbon assimilation rates.

scholarly journals Stem trait spectra underpin multiple functions of temperate gymnosperm and angiosperm tree species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanshan Yang ◽  
Frank J. Sterck ◽  
Ute Sass-Klaassen ◽  
J. Hans C. Cornelissen ◽  
Richard S.P. van Logtestijn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Fast Growth ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Plant Strategy ◽  
Leaf Habit ◽  
Angiosperm Species ◽  
Central Paradigm ◽  
Diffuse Porous

Abstract A central paradigm in comparative ecology is that species sort out along a global economic strategy spectrum, ranging from slow to fast growth. Many studies evaluated plant strategy spectra for leaf traits, b u t few studies evaluated stem strategy spectra using a comprehensive set of anatomical, chemical and morphological traits, addressing key stem functions of different stem compartments (inner wood, outer wood and bark). This study evaluates how stem traits vary in the wood and bark of temperate tree species, and whether a slow-fast growth strategy spectrum exists and what traits make up this plant strategy spectrum. For 14 temperate gymnosperm and angiosperm species, 20 traits belonging to six key stem functions were measured for three stem compartments. Both across and within gymnosperms and angiosperms, a slow-fast stem strategy spectrum is found. Gymnosperms have slow traits and showed converging stem strategies because of their uniform tracheids. Angiosperms have fast traits and showed diverging stem strategies because of a wider array of tissues (vessels, parenchyma and fibers) and vessel size and arrangements (ring-porous versus diffuse porous). Gymnosperms showed a main trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety, and angiosperms showed a main trade-off between ‘slow’ diffuse porous species and ‘fast’ ring porous species. The slow traits of gymnosperms allow for a high hydraulic safety, an evergreen leaf habit and steady but slow growth makes them successful in unproductive habitats whereas the fast traits of angiosperms allow for high conductivity, a deciduous leaf habit and fast growth which makes them successful in productive habitats.

scholarly journals Short-Term Nitrogen Addition Does Not Significantly Alter the Effects of Seasonal Drought on Leaf Functional Traits in Machilus pauhoi Kanehira Seedlings

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Yu ◽  
Dongliang Cheng ◽  
Baoyin Li ◽  
Chaobin Xu ◽  
Zhongrui Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
N Deposition ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
N Addition ◽  
Subtropical China ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Seasonal Drought

Research Highlights: Short-term nitrogen (N) addition did not significantly alter the effects of seasonal drought on the leaf functional traits in Machilus pauhoi Kanehira seedlings in N-rich subtropical China. Background and Objectives: Seasonal drought and N deposition are major drivers of global environmental change that affect plant growth and ecosystem function in subtropical China. However, no consensus has been reached on the interactive effects of these two drivers. Materials and Methods: We conducted a full-factorial experiment to analyze the single and combined effects of seasonal drought and short-term N addition on chemical, morphological and physiological traits of M. pauhoi seedlings. Results: Seasonal drought (40% of soil field capacity) had significant negative effects on the leaf N concentrations (LNC), phosphorus (P) concentrations (LPC), leaf thickness (LT), net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs), and predawn leaf water potential (ψPD), and significant positive effects on the carbon:N (C:N) ratio and specific leaf area (SLA). Short-term N addition (50 kg N·hm−2·year−1 and 100 kg N·hm−2·year−1) tended to decrease the C:N ratio and enhance leaf nutrient, growth, and photosynthetic performance because of increased LNC, LPC, LT, leaf area (LA), SLA, A, E, and ψPD; however, it only had significant effects on LT and Gs. No significant interactive effects on leaf traits were detected. Seasonal drought, short-term N addition, and their interactions had significant effects on soil properties. The soil total C (STC), nitrate N (NO3−-N) and soil total N (STN) concentrations were the main factors that affected the leaf traits. Conclusions: Seasonal drought had a stronger effect on M. pauhoi seedling leaf traits than short-term N deposition, indicating that the interaction between seasonal drought and short-term N deposition may have an additive effecton M. pauhoi seedling growth in N-rich subtropical China.

scholarly journals Trade-off relationship of leaf functional traits of desert halophyte Lycium ruthenicum in the lower reaches of Heihe River, Northwest China: response to soil moisture and salinity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanjia Li ◽  
Wei Gou ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Guoqiang Wu ◽  
Peixi Su
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Heihe River ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Saline Habitats ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract Background: Soil salinization affects plant growth and causes changes in leaf traits. Lycium ruthenicum Murr. is one of the dominant shrubs and halophytes in the lower reaches of the Heihe River in Northwest China. We analyzed the trade-off relationship of fourteen leaf functional traits of eight L.ruthenicum populations growing at varying distances from the Heihe River, and discussed the effects that soil moisture and salinity have on leaf functional traits. Results: Lower nitrogen (N) contents indicated that L.ruthenicum was located at the slow investment-return axis of the species resource utilization graph. Compared with non-saline and very slightly saline sites, populations of slightly saline sites showed higher carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N). Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed a relatively strong relationship between leaf functional traits and soil properties, the first RDA axis accounted for 70.99 % and 71.09 % of the variation in 0-40 cm and 40-80 cm of soil moisture and salinity. Populations in non-saline and very slightly saline habitats tended to have higher leaf C content, whereas populations in slightly saline habitats tended to have lower leaf C content, and the discrepancy was evident. Relative importance analysis found that in the 0-40 cm soil layer, leaf traits variations were mainly influenced by soil moisture (SWC), HCO3- and CO32- ions content, while leaf trait variations in the 40-80 cm soil layer were mainly influenced by HCO3- and SO42-. Conclusions: The leaf functional traits of L. ruthenicum in this region are mainly restricted by soil N content. The L.ruthenicum populations formed a pattern of increased C:N ratios and C content, reduced nitrogen to phosphorus ratio (N:P) and N content from very slightly saline soil to slightly saline. L.ruthenicum has a foliar resource acquisition method and a resource conservation trade-off with a flexible life history strategy in habitats with drought and salinity stress. In the shallow soil layers, water affects greater than salt on leaf traits variation; in both shallow and deep soil layers, HCO3- plays a dominant role on leaf traits. We believe that these findings will provide some baseline information to facilitate the management and restoration of arid-saline desert ecosystems.

scholarly journals Response of leaf functional traits of woody plants in central Guizhou to degraded karst soil characteristics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Wang ◽  
Li Rong ◽  
Mengjie Wang ◽  
Tianmu Ye ◽  
Tingting Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Functional Properties ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Soil Characteristics ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits

1.In this study, the dominant woody plants in different degraded background plots in Puding, Guizhou Province were selected as the research objects. Six leaf functional traits(LT, LA, SLA, LDMC, LTD, Chlc) were measured to analyze the effects of soil characteristics on the leaf functional traits of vegetation in the region. 2.We observed that under the degraded environment of karst area, the plant leaves tended to increase, with the most significant change in the returned land; There were significant differences in plant traits under burning,burning felling and returning farmland, with the largest change range of LA, LTD and SLA, which could reach 121.90%, 118.08% and 86.00% respectively in the corresponding sample plots. 3.In the degraded plots, the leaf traits were significantly different among tree, shrub and liana species. In general, the interspecific variation of shrub and liana species was higher than that of tree species, and the community was in the early and middle stage of succession. 4.Soil properties under different degradation background were quite different,and there was a significant correlation between soil properties and vegetation leaf functional properties. Soil depth, soil nutrients and soil humidity were the key soil characteristic factors of plant leaf functional properties. 5.The results showed that the leaf traits of plant in degraded area showed large LA,small LT, low SLA and LTD, high LDMC and low Chlc, which tended to develop drought character combination. This paper reveals the internal differentiation succession law of degraded karst secondary forest in central Guizhou and provides scientific basis for the management and biodiversity protection of karst secondary forest.

scholarly journals Biovera-Epi: A new database on species diversity, community composition, and leaf functional traits of vascular epiphytes along an elevational gradient in Mexico

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Guzmán-Jacob ◽  
Patrick Weigelt ◽  
Dylan Craven ◽  
Gerhard Zotz ◽  
Thorsten Krömer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Plant Ecology ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
Forest Use ◽  
Study Sites

This data paper describes a new, comprehensive database (BIOVERA-Epi) on species distributions and leaf functional traits of vascular epiphytes, a poorly studied plant group, along gradients of elevation and forest-use intensity in the central part of Veracruz State, Mexico. The distribution data includes frequencies of 271 vascular epiphyte species belonging to 92 genera and 23 families across 120 20 m × 20 m forest plots at eight study sites along an elevational gradient from sea level to 3500 m a.s.l. In addition, BIOVERA-Epi provides information on 1595 measurements of nine morphological and chemical leaf traits from 474 individuals and 102 species. For morphological leaf traits, we provide data on each sampled leaf. For chemical leaf traits, we provide data at the species level per site and land-use type. We also provide complementary information for each of the sampled plots and host trees. BIOVERA-Epi contributes to an emerging body of synthetic epiphytes studies combining functional traits and community composition. BIOVERA-Epi includes data on species frequency and leaf traits from 120 forest plots distributed along an elevational gradient including six different forest types and three levels of forest-use intensity. It will expand the breadth of studies on epiphyte diversity, conservation, and functional plant ecology in the Neotropics and will contribute to future synthetic studies on the ecology and diversity of tropical epiphyte assemblages.

scholarly journals Stem and leaf functional traits allow successional classification in six pioneer and non-pioneer tree species in Tropical Moist Broadleaved Forests

2020 ◽  
Vol 113 ◽  
pp. 106254
Author(s):  
Bernardo Pretti Becacici Macieira ◽  
Giuliano Maselli Locosselli ◽  
Marcos Silveira Buckeridge ◽  
Henrik Hartmann ◽  
Geraldo Rogério Faustini Cuzzuol
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Pioneer Tree Species ◽  
Pioneer Tree

scholarly journals Change in hydraulic properties and leaf traits of a tall rainforest tree species subjected to long-term throughfall exclusion in the perhumid tropics

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 8553-8589 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Schuldt ◽  
C. Leuschner ◽  
V. Horna ◽  
G. Moser ◽  
M. Köhler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Hydraulic Properties ◽  
Specific Conductivity ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Vessel Diameter ◽  
Stem Diameter ◽  
Drought Treatment ◽  
Drought Effect ◽  
Sapwood Area ◽  
Soil Desiccation

Abstract. In a throughfall displacement experiment on Sulawesi, Indonesia, three 0.16 ha stands of a premontane perhumid rainforest were exposed to a two-year soil desiccation period that reduced the soil moisture in the upper soil layers beyond the conventional wilting point. About 25 variables, including leaf morphological and chemical traits, stem diameter growth and hydraulic properties of the xylem in the trunk and terminal twigs, were investigated in trees of the tall-growing tree species Castanopsis acuminatissima (Fagaceae) by comparing desiccated roof plots with nearby control plots. We tested the hypotheses that this tall and productive species is particularly sensitive to drought, and the exposed upper sun canopy is more affected than the shade canopy. Hydraulic conductivity in the xylem of terminal twigs normalised to vessel lumen area was reduced by 25%, leaf area-specific conductivity by 10–33% during the desiccation treatment. Surprisingly, the leaves present at the end of the drought treatment were significantly larger, but not smaller in the roof plots, though reduced in number (about 30% less leaves per unit of twig sapwood area), which points to a drought effect on the leaf bud formation while the remaining leaves may have profited from a surplus of water. Mean vessel diameter and axial conductivity in the outermost xylem of the trunk were significantly reduced and wood density increased, while annual stem diameter increment decreased by 26%. In contradiction to our hypotheses, (i) we found no signs of major damage to the C. acuminatissima trees nor to any other drought sensitivity of tall trees, and (ii) the exposed upper canopy was not more drought susceptible than the shade canopy.

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