Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess Plateau
Leaf photosynthetic and functional traits of dominant species are important for understanding grassland community dynamics under imbalanced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs. Here, the effects of N (N0, N50, and N100, corresponding to 0, 50, and 100 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−...
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/21/2921 |
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| author | Yuan Jin Shuaibin Lai Zhifei Chen Chunxia Jian Junjie Zhou Furong Niu Bingcheng Xu |
| author_facet | Yuan Jin Shuaibin Lai Zhifei Chen Chunxia Jian Junjie Zhou Furong Niu Bingcheng Xu |
| author_sort | Yuan Jin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Leaf photosynthetic and functional traits of dominant species are important for understanding grassland community dynamics under imbalanced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs. Here, the effects of N (N0, N50, and N100, corresponding to 0, 50, and 100 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>, respectively) or/and P additions (P0, P40, and P80, corresponding to 0, 40, and 80 kg ha<sup>–1</sup> yr<sup>–1</sup>) on photosynthetic characteristics and leaf economic traits of three dominant species (two grasses: <i>Bothriochloa ischaemum</i> and <i>Stipa bungeana</i>; a leguminous subshrub: <i>Lespedeza davurica</i>) were investigated in a semiarid grassland community on the Loess Plateau of China. Results showed that, after a three-year N addition, all three species had higher specific leaf area (SLA), leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value), maximum net photosynthetic rate (<i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub>), and leaf instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE), while also having a lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC). The two grasses, <i>B. ischaemum</i> and <i>S. bungeana</i>, showed greater increases in <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> and SLA than the subshrub <i>L. davurica</i>. P addition alone had no noticeable effect on the <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> of the two grasses while it significantly increased the <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> of <i>L. davurica</i>. There was an evident synergetic effect of the addition of N and P combined on photosynthetic traits and most leaf economic traits in the three species. All species had relatively high <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> and SLA under the addition of N50 combined with P40. Overall, this study suggests that N and P addition shifted leaf economic traits towards a greater light harvesting ability and, thus, elevated photosynthesis in the three dominant species of a semiarid grassland community, and this was achieved by species–specific responses in leaf functional traits. These results may provide insights into grassland restoration and the assessment of community development in the context of atmospheric N deposition and intensive agricultural fertilization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:43:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-38bfa71fbff043bbaf0fd97590d4b55f |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:43:52Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-38bfa71fbff043bbaf0fd97590d4b55f2023-11-24T06:25:14ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-10-011121292110.3390/plants11212921Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess PlateauYuan Jin0Shuaibin Lai1Zhifei Chen2Chunxia Jian3Junjie Zhou4Furong Niu5Bingcheng Xu6State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, ChinaLeaf photosynthetic and functional traits of dominant species are important for understanding grassland community dynamics under imbalanced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs. Here, the effects of N (N0, N50, and N100, corresponding to 0, 50, and 100 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>, respectively) or/and P additions (P0, P40, and P80, corresponding to 0, 40, and 80 kg ha<sup>–1</sup> yr<sup>–1</sup>) on photosynthetic characteristics and leaf economic traits of three dominant species (two grasses: <i>Bothriochloa ischaemum</i> and <i>Stipa bungeana</i>; a leguminous subshrub: <i>Lespedeza davurica</i>) were investigated in a semiarid grassland community on the Loess Plateau of China. Results showed that, after a three-year N addition, all three species had higher specific leaf area (SLA), leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value), maximum net photosynthetic rate (<i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub>), and leaf instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE), while also having a lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC). The two grasses, <i>B. ischaemum</i> and <i>S. bungeana</i>, showed greater increases in <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> and SLA than the subshrub <i>L. davurica</i>. P addition alone had no noticeable effect on the <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> of the two grasses while it significantly increased the <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> of <i>L. davurica</i>. There was an evident synergetic effect of the addition of N and P combined on photosynthetic traits and most leaf economic traits in the three species. All species had relatively high <i>P</i><sub>Nmax</sub> and SLA under the addition of N50 combined with P40. Overall, this study suggests that N and P addition shifted leaf economic traits towards a greater light harvesting ability and, thus, elevated photosynthesis in the three dominant species of a semiarid grassland community, and this was achieved by species–specific responses in leaf functional traits. These results may provide insights into grassland restoration and the assessment of community development in the context of atmospheric N deposition and intensive agricultural fertilization.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/21/2921semiarid grasslandfertilizationleaf functional traitleaf photosynthesisatmospheric nitrogen deposition |
| spellingShingle | Yuan Jin Shuaibin Lai Zhifei Chen Chunxia Jian Junjie Zhou Furong Niu Bingcheng Xu Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess Plateau Plants semiarid grassland fertilization leaf functional trait leaf photosynthesis atmospheric nitrogen deposition |
| title | Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_full | Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_short | Leaf Photosynthetic and Functional Traits of Grassland Dominant Species in Response to Nutrient Addition on the Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_sort | leaf photosynthetic and functional traits of grassland dominant species in response to nutrient addition on the chinese loess plateau |
| topic | semiarid grassland fertilization leaf functional trait leaf photosynthesis atmospheric nitrogen deposition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/21/2921 |
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