Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern China
Functional traits are important indicators for examining ecological processes and after-effects of plant community restoration after large-scale geological disturbance. Sample sites with and without landslides in typical forest ecosystems within the region that experienced the highest intensity of t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Forests |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1323 |
| _version_ | 1797410134098444288 |
|---|---|
| author | Di Kang Caijia Yin Shiqi Liu Li Chen Shuzhen Zou Dahai Zhu |
| author_facet | Di Kang Caijia Yin Shiqi Liu Li Chen Shuzhen Zou Dahai Zhu |
| author_sort | Di Kang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Functional traits are important indicators for examining ecological processes and after-effects of plant community restoration after large-scale geological disturbance. Sample sites with and without landslides in typical forest ecosystems within the region that experienced the highest intensity of the Wenchuan 8.0 earthquake in China were selected in this study, and the characteristics, variations, relationships and influencing factors of woody plant traits at the species, individual and functional type scales were studied. The total interspecific and intraspecific variation of woody plant functional traits was 62.02% and 14.86%, respectively. Differences in woody plant traits were observed at multiple ecological scales on landslides compared with those on nonlandslides. The differentiation of functional traits of recovering communities significantly decreased among woody plant functional types (WFTs) on landslides after the earthquake, indicating disruption and reorganization of the original functional structure. Woody plants on landslides adapted to the new environment by adjusting their leaf traits to improve light use efficiency and adopting rapid ecological strategies. In contrast, woody plants on nonlandslides were more inclined to accumulate material and support structures. Leaf thickness was sensitive to earthquakes. Leaf traits showed a high degree of synergy in their environmental response. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:25:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1460610990684b358908503331a1db07 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:25:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-1460610990684b358908503331a1db072023-12-03T13:41:12ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-08-01138132310.3390/f13081323Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern ChinaDi Kang0Caijia Yin1Shiqi Liu2Li Chen3Shuzhen Zou4Dahai Zhu5Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, ChinaKey Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, ChinaKey Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, ChinaKey Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, ChinaKey Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, ChinaLongxi-Hongkou Nature Reserve Administration, Chengdu 611830, ChinaFunctional traits are important indicators for examining ecological processes and after-effects of plant community restoration after large-scale geological disturbance. Sample sites with and without landslides in typical forest ecosystems within the region that experienced the highest intensity of the Wenchuan 8.0 earthquake in China were selected in this study, and the characteristics, variations, relationships and influencing factors of woody plant traits at the species, individual and functional type scales were studied. The total interspecific and intraspecific variation of woody plant functional traits was 62.02% and 14.86%, respectively. Differences in woody plant traits were observed at multiple ecological scales on landslides compared with those on nonlandslides. The differentiation of functional traits of recovering communities significantly decreased among woody plant functional types (WFTs) on landslides after the earthquake, indicating disruption and reorganization of the original functional structure. Woody plants on landslides adapted to the new environment by adjusting their leaf traits to improve light use efficiency and adopting rapid ecological strategies. In contrast, woody plants on nonlandslides were more inclined to accumulate material and support structures. Leaf thickness was sensitive to earthquakes. Leaf traits showed a high degree of synergy in their environmental response.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1323disturbancegeological disasterregenerationfunctional traitsforest degradationenvironmental factors |
| spellingShingle | Di Kang Caijia Yin Shiqi Liu Li Chen Shuzhen Zou Dahai Zhu Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern China Forests disturbance geological disaster regeneration functional traits forest degradation environmental factors |
| title | Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern China |
| title_full | Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern China |
| title_fullStr | Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern China |
| title_short | Multiscale Regulation of Leaf Traits in Woody Plants as an Adaptation to a Post-Earthquake Environment in Broadleaved Forests of Southwestern China |
| title_sort | multiscale regulation of leaf traits in woody plants as an adaptation to a post earthquake environment in broadleaved forests of southwestern china |
| topic | disturbance geological disaster regeneration functional traits forest degradation environmental factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1323 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dikang multiscaleregulationofleaftraitsinwoodyplantsasanadaptationtoapostearthquakeenvironmentinbroadleavedforestsofsouthwesternchina AT caijiayin multiscaleregulationofleaftraitsinwoodyplantsasanadaptationtoapostearthquakeenvironmentinbroadleavedforestsofsouthwesternchina AT shiqiliu multiscaleregulationofleaftraitsinwoodyplantsasanadaptationtoapostearthquakeenvironmentinbroadleavedforestsofsouthwesternchina AT lichen multiscaleregulationofleaftraitsinwoodyplantsasanadaptationtoapostearthquakeenvironmentinbroadleavedforestsofsouthwesternchina AT shuzhenzou multiscaleregulationofleaftraitsinwoodyplantsasanadaptationtoapostearthquakeenvironmentinbroadleavedforestsofsouthwesternchina AT dahaizhu multiscaleregulationofleaftraitsinwoodyplantsasanadaptationtoapostearthquakeenvironmentinbroadleavedforestsofsouthwesternchina |