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 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.

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.

Reliability of leaf functional traits after delayed measurements

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Dinesh Thakur ◽  
Lakhbeer Singh ◽  
Amit Chawla
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Western Himalaya ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Leaf Dry Matter Content ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Temporary Storage ◽  
Delayed Measurements ◽  
Stable Leaf

In this study, the effect of temporary storage (at 4°C) on measurement of leaf traits was tested. We collected leaf samples from 25 species, which represented different functional types in the high altitude vegetation of western Himalaya, to measure leaf area (LA), leaf rehydration, specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC). Repeated trait measurements were performed for up to 7 days. We found that in all the species, LA increased in initial 24 h of rehydration and thereafter remained stable. Leaf rehydration was found to be sensitive to delayed measurements and changed significantly for up to 7 days. For SLA and LDMC, the effect of storage time was significant only for a few species. On the basis of our findings, we recommend that, for samples stored in dark at 4°C, LA, SLA and LDMC can reliably be estimated after a delay of up to 7 days. Further, these key leaf traits should be estimated only after 24 h of rehydration. Also, trait measurements after prolonged rehydration of leaves should be avoided. Outcomes of this study will be beneficial when a large number of samples are collected from locations far away from laboratory and temporary storage is necessitated before trait measurements.

scholarly journals The acquisitive-conservative axis of leaf trait variation emerges even in homogeneous environments

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas D Gorné ◽  
Sandra Díaz ◽  
Vanessa Minden ◽  
Yusuke Onoda ◽  
Koen Kramer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Environmental Variation ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Leaf Nitrogen Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Trait

Abstract Background and Aims The acquisitive-conservative axis of plant ecological strategies results in a pattern of leaf trait covariation that captures the balance between leaf construction costs and plant growth potential. Studies evaluating trait covariation within species are scarcer, and have mostly dealt with variation in response to environmental gradients. Little work has been published on intraspecific patterns of leaf trait covariation in the absence of strong environmental variation. Methods We analysed covariation of four leaf functional traits (SLA: specific leaf area, LDMC: leaf dry matter content, Ft: force to tear, and Nm: leaf nitrogen content) in six Poaceae and four Fabaceae species common in the dry Chaco forest of Central Argentina, growing in the field and in a common garden. We compared intraspecific covariation patterns (slopes, correlation and effect size) of leaf functional traits with global interspecific covariation patterns. Additionally, we checked for possible climatic and edaphic factors that could affect the intraspecific covariation pattern. Key Results We found negative correlations for the LDMC-SLA, Ft-SLA, LDMC-Nm, and Ft-Nm trait pairs. This intraspecific covariation pattern found both in the field and in the common garden and not be explained by climatic or edaphic variation in the field follows the expected acquisitive-conservative axis. At the same time, we found quantitative differences in slopes among different species, and between these intraspecific patterns and the interspecific ones. Many of these differences seem to be idiosyncratic, but some appear consistent among species (e.g.all the intraspecific LDMC-SLA and LDMC-Nm slopes tend to be shallower than the global). Conclusions Our study indicates that the acquisitive-conservative leaf functional trait covariation pattern occurs at the intraspecific level even in the absence of relevant environmental variation in the field. This suggests a high degree of variation-covariation in leaf functional traits not driven by environmental variables.

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 Funtional Ecology of fronds in Iberian saxicolous ferns

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-110
Author(s):  
Andrea Seral Puyoles ◽  
Antonio Murciano Cespedosa ◽  
Sonia Molino de Miguel ◽  
Pablo De la Fuente Brun ◽  
Jose María Gabriel y Galán
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Special Importance ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Leaf Dry Matter Content ◽  
Maximum Temperatures

Nowadays, functional traits are widely used to study autoecological aspects in plant species. The analysis of these traits among climatic gradients allows us to know the strategy that plants follow depending on resource availability. Referring to plants, the traits measured in the leaves have a special importance; among these traits we can find SLA (Specific Leaf Area), LDMC (Leaf Dry- Matter Content) and LT (Leaf Thickness). In this work, these traits are measured in four species of the genus Asplenium. As extremes of a climatic gradient, we have focused our study in both bioclimatic regions existing in the Iberian Peninsula. Taking into account the differences referring to the resource availability for the species in each region, the main goal of this work is analyzing the variations of the three functional traits mentioned in the four species in both locations and associate these variations to macroclimatic variables. To this aim, fronds from the four species were collected in populations of each bioclimatic region to determine the fresh weight, dry weight and the foliar area. From these variables, we calculated the three functional traits. The results have shown that ferns adopt higher productive yields in the Mediterranean region (higher SLA values) and lower LDMC and LT values than in the Eurosiberian region. As to the climate variables effects, the average of the maximum temperatures in the warmest month (TMAX) is the variable that better explains the differences in the productive yield that the plants adopt in each region. On the other hand, annual precipitation seems not to play an important role on any of the functional traits in any of the species. Finally, we didn’t find a generalized tendency in the effects of the extern variables: frozen period, minimum temperatures in the coolest month and arid period.

scholarly journals Funtional Ecology of fronds in Iberian saxicolous ferns

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Andrea Seral Puyoles ◽  
Antonio Murciano Cespedosa ◽  
Sonia Molino de Miguel ◽  
Pablo De la Fuente Brun ◽  
Jose María Gabriel y Galán
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Special Importance ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Leaf Dry Matter Content ◽  
Maximum Temperatures

Nowadays, functional traits are widely used to study autoecological aspects in plant species. The analysis of these traits among climatic gradients allows us to know the strategy that plants follow depending on resource availability. Referring to plants, the traits measured in the leaves have a special importance; among these traits we can find SLA (Specific Leaf Area), LDMC (Leaf Dry-Matter Content) and LT (Leaf Thickness). In this work, these traits are measured in four species of the genus Asplenium. As extremes of a climatic gradient, we have focused our study in both bioclimatic regions existing in the Iberian Peninsula. Taking into account the differences referring to the resource availability for the species in each region, the main goal of this work is analysing the variations of the three functional traits mentioned in the four species in both locations and associate these variations to macroclimatic variables. To this aim, fronds from the four species were collected in populations of each bioclimatic region to determine the fresh weight, dry weight and the foliar area. From these variables, we calculated the three functional traits. The results have shown that ferns adopt higher productive yields in the Mediterranean region (higher SLA values) and lower LDMC and LT values than in the Eurosiberian region. As to the climate variables effects, the average of the maximum temperatures in the warmest month (TMAX) is the variable that better explains the differences in the productive yield that the plants adopt in each region. On the other hand, annual precipitation seems not to play an important role on any of the functional traits in any of the species. Finally, we didn’t find a generalized tendency in the effects of the extern variables: frozen period, minimum temperatures in the coolest month and arid period.

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.

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