scholarly journals Intraspecific differences in plant functional traits are related to urban atmospheric particulate matter

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyou Zhu ◽  
Chengyang Xu
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Stomatal Density ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Atmospheric Particulate Matter ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Atmospheric Particulate ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Content Index

Abstract Background Functional trait-based ecological research has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of environmental changes. It is still, however, unclear how the functional traits of urban plants respond to atmospheric particulate matter, and which trade-off strategies are shown. In order to explore the variation of plant functional traits with the gradient of urban atmospheric particulate matter, we divided atmospheric particulate matter into three levels according to road distance, and measured the variation of six essential leaf functional traits and their trade-off strategies. Results Here, we show that the functional traits of plants can be used as predictors of plant response to urban atmospheric particulate matter. Within the study, leaf thickness, leaf dry matter content, leaf tissue density, stomatal density were positively correlated with atmospheric particulate matter. On the contrary, chlorophyll content index and specific leaf area were negatively correlated with atmospheric particulate matter. Plants can improve the efficiency of gas exchange by optimizing the spatial distribution of leaf stomata. Under the atmospheric particulate matter environment, urban plants show a trade-off relationship of economics spectrum traits at the intraspecific level. Conclusion Under the influence of urban atmospheric particulate matter, urban plant shows a “slow investment-return” type in the leaf economics spectrum at the intraspecific level, with lower specific leaf area, lower chlorophyll content index, ticker leaves, higher leaf dry matter content, higher leaf tissue density and higher stomatal density. This finding provides a new perspective for understanding the resource trades-off strategy of plants adapting to atmospheric particulate matter.

Leaf Functional Traits Differentiation and Its Trade-off Strategies of Urban Plant are Related to Atmospheric Particulate Pollution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyou Zhu ◽  
Qing Xu ◽  
Chengyang Xu ◽  
Xinna Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Atmospheric Particulate ◽  
Leaf Dry Matter Content ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Particulate Pollution

Abstract Background: Functional trait-based ecological research has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of understanding of environmental changes. It is still, however, unclear how the functional traits of urban plants respond to atmospheric particulate pollution, and what trade-off strategies are shown. In order to explore the variation of plant functional traits with urban atmospheric particulate pollution gradient, we divided atmospheric particulate pollution into three levels according to road distance, and measured the variation of six key leaf functional traits and their trade-off strategies. Results: Here, we show that the functional traits of plants can be used as predictors or indicators of the response of plant to urban atmospheric particulate pollution. Within studies, there was a positive correlation between leaf thickness, leaf dry matter content, leaf tissue density, stomata density and leaf dust deposition. While chlorophyll content index and specific leaf area were negatively correlated with the leaf dust deposition. Plants improve the efficiency of gas exchange by optimizing the spatial distribution of stomata of leaves. Dust deposition promotes the regular distribution of stomata. Due to the pressure of atmospheric particles, urban plant shows a trade-off relationship of economics spectrum traits at the leaf level. Taken together, these results indicate that urban atmospheric particulate pollution is the main factor causing the variation of plant functional traits. Conclusion：Under the influence of urban atmospheric particulate matter, plant show a "slow investment-return" type in the global leaf economics spectrum, with lower specific leaf area, lower chlorophyll content, larger leaf thickness, higher leaf dry matter content, higher leaf tissue density and higher stomatal density. This finding provides a new perspective for understanding the resource trades-off strategy of plants adapting to air pollution environment.

scholarly journals Leaf reflectance and functional traits as environmental indicators of urban dust deposition

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyou Zhu ◽  
Jingliang Xu ◽  
Yujuan Cao ◽  
Jing Fu ◽  
Benling Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Urban Dust ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Leaf Reflectance ◽  
Red Edge ◽  
Simple Ratio

Abstract Background How to quickly predict and evaluate urban dust deposition is the key to the control of urban atmospheric environment. Here, we focus on changes of plant reflectance and plant functional traits due to dust deposition, and develop a prediction model of dust deposition based on these traits. Results The results showed that (1) The average dust deposition per unit area of Ligustrum quihoui leaves was significantly different among urban environments (street (18.1001 g/m2), community (14.5597 g/m2) and park (9.7661 g/m2)). Among different urban environments, leaf reflectance curves tends to be consistent, but there were significant differences in leaf reflectance values (park (0.052–0.585) > community (0.028–0.477) > street (0.025–0.203)). (2) There were five major reflection peaks and five major absorption valleys. (3) The spectral reflectances before and after dust removal were significantly different (clean leaves > dust-stagnant leaves). 695 ~ 1400 nm was the sensitive range of spectral response. (4) Dust deposition has significant influence on slope and position of red edge. Red edge slope was park > community > street. After dust deposition, the red edge position has obviously “blue shift”. The moving distance of the red edge position increases with the increase of dust deposition. The forecast model of dust deposition amount established by simple ratio index (y = 2.517x + 0.381, R2 = 0.787, RMSE (root-mean-square error) = 0.187. In the model, y refers to dust retention, x refers to simple ratio index.) has an average accuracy of 99.98%. (5) With the increase of dust deposition, the specific leaf area and chlorophyll content index decreased gradually. The leaf dry matter content, leaf tissue density and leaf thickness increased gradually. Conclusion In the dust-polluted environment, L. quihoui generally presents a combination of characters with lower specific leaf area, chlorophyll content index, and higher leaf dry matter content, leaf tissue density and leaf thickness. Leaf reflectance spectroscopy and functional traits have been proved to be effective in evaluating the changes of urban dust deposition.

scholarly journals Applying continuous functional traits to large brown macroalgae: variation across tidal emersion and wave exposure gradients

2019 ◽  
Vol 166 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Cappelatti ◽  
Alizée R. L. Mauffrey ◽  
John N. Griffin
Keyword(s):  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Wave Exposure ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Brown Macroalgae ◽  
Trade Off

Abstract Ecologists use a functional trait-based approach to seek a general understanding of organism—environment interactions, but, among primary producers, the empirical basis rests on vascular plants. We hypothesised that with increasing intertidal elevation, traits of large brown macroalgae would reflect a resource acquisition vs. conservation (stress tolerance) trade-off at species and community levels. Across the elevation gradient at four UK sites of varying wave exposure, we: (1) screened species’ relevant morphological traits, using principal component analysis to reduce dimensionality; and (2) up-scaled species’ traits using community weighted trait means (CWMs). The first principal component (PC1) strongly related to specific thallus area and thallus dry matter content, representing an acquisition–conservation trade-off. Although species generally shifted to the conservative end of this axis as elevation increased, mid-shore Ascophyllum nodosum sat at the extreme conservative end. PC2 related to holdfast ratio, thickness and length, with A. nodosum scoring higher than other mid-shore species. CWMs of PC1 decreased with elevation at two sites indicating a shift from ‘fast’ to ‘slow’ ecosystem functioning, but this relationship was disrupted by A. nodosum at the sheltered site, and by the up-shore extent of Laminaria digitata at the most exposed site. The anomalous traits of A. nodosum reflect its unique competitive strategy (slow, persistent growth) in the relatively stressful mid-shore. Seaweed functional traits show promise in linking species’ identities to their strategies and ecosystem contributions. However, because resource conservation traits can be related to competitive as well as stress-tolerance strategies, predicting seaweed trait responses to environmental stress gradients is challenging.

scholarly journals Applying continuous functional traits to large brown macroalgae: variation across tidal emersion and wave exposure gradients

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Cappelatti ◽  
Alizée R. L. Mauffrey ◽  
John N. Griffin
Keyword(s):  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Wave Exposure ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Brown Macroalgae ◽  
Trade Off

ABSTRACTA functional trait-based approach seeks a general understanding of organism - environment interactions, but, among primary producers, its empirical basis rests on vascular plants. We hypothesised that with increasing intertidal elevation, traits of large brown macroalgae would reflect a resource-acquisition vs. conservation (stress tolerance) trade-off at species and community levels. Across the elevation gradient at four UK sites of varying wave exposure, we: i) screened species’ relevant morphological traits, using principal component analysis to reduce dimensionality; and ii) up-scaled species’ traits using community weighted trait means (CWMs). The first principal component (PC1) strongly related to specific thallus area and thallus dry matter content, representing an acquisition - conservation trade-off. Although species generally shifted to the conservative end of this axis as elevation increased, mid-shore Ascophyllum nodosum sat at the extreme conservative end. PC2 associated with holdfast ratio, thickness and length, with A. nodusum scoring higher than other mid-shore species. CWMs of PC1 decreased with elevation at two sites indicating a shift from ‘fast’ to ‘slow’ ecosystem functioning, but this relationship was disrupted by A. nodusum at the sheltered site, and by the up-shore extent of Laminaria digitata at the most exposed site. The anomalous traits of A. nodusum reflect its unique competitive strategy (slow, persistent growth) in the relatively stressful mid-shore. Seaweed functional traits show promise in linking species’ identities to their strategies and ecosystem contributions. However, because resource conservation traits can be related to competitive as well as stress tolerance strategies, predicting seaweed trait responses to environmental stress gradients is challenging.

scholarly journals Leaf functional traits differentiation in relation to covering materials of urban tree pits

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyou Zhu ◽  
Yujuan Cao ◽  
Weijun He ◽  
Qing Xu ◽  
Chengyang Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Urban Trees ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Capillary Porosity ◽  
Leaf Dry Matter Content ◽  
Content Index

Abstract Background Understanding the ecological strategies of urban trees to the urban environment is crucial to the selection and management of urban trees. However, it is still unclear whether urban tree pit cover will affect plant functional traits. Here, we study the response of urban trees to different tree pit covers, analyzed the effects of different cover types on soil properties and their trade-off strategies based on leaf functional traits. Results We found that there were obvious differences in the physical properties of the soil in different tree pit covers. Under the different tree pit cover types, soil bulk density and soil porosity reached the maximum under cement cover and turf cover, respectively. We found that tree pit cover significantly affected the leaf properties of urban trees. Leaf thickness, chlorophyll content index and stomatal density were mainly affected by soil bulk density and non-capillary porosity in a positive direction, and were affected by soil total porosity and capillary porosity in a negative direction. Leaf dry matter content and stomata area were mainly negatively affected by soil bulk density and non-capillary porosity, and positively affected by soil total porosity and capillary porosity. Covering materials of tree pits promoted the functional adjustment of plants and form the best combination of functions. Conclusion Under the influence of tree pit cover, plant have low specific leaf area, stomata density, high leaf thickness, chlorophyll content index, leaf dry matter content, leaf tissue density and stomata area, which belong to “quick investment-return” type in the leaf economics spectrum.

scholarly journals Effects of urban atmospheric particulate matter on higher plants using Lycopersicon esculentum as model species

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katalin Hubai ◽  
Nora Kováts ◽  
Gábor Teke
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Atmospheric Particulate Matter ◽  
Dose Effect ◽  
Atmospheric Particulate ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Treatment Experiment

AbstractAtmospheric particulate matter (PM) is one of the major environmental concerns in Europe. A wide range of studies has proved the ecotoxic potential of atmospheric particles. PM exerts chemical stress on vegetation by its potentially toxic constituents; however, relatively few studies are available on assessing phytotoxic effects under laboratory conditions. In our study, aqueous extract of particulate matter was prepared and used for treatment. Experiment was following the procedure defined by the No. 227 OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals: Terrestrial Plant Test. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were used; elucidated toxicity was assessed based on morphological and biochemical endpoints such as biomass, chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b, carotenoids, and protein content. Biomass reduction and protein content showed a clear dose–effect relationship; the biomass decreased in comparison with the control (100%) in all test groups (TG) at a steady rate (TG1: 87.73%; TG2: 71.77%; TG3: 67.01%; TG4: 63.63%). The tendency in protein concentrations compared to the control was TG1: 113.61%; TG2: 148.21% TG3: 160.52%; TG4: 157.31%. However, pigments showed a ‘Janus-faced’ effect: nutrient content of the sample caused slight increase at lower doses; actual toxicity became apparent only at higher doses (chlorophyll-a concentration decrease was 84.47% in TG4, chlorophyll-b was 77.17%, and finally, carotene showed 83.60% decrease in TG4).

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