Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern China
The frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events and severe drought are predicted to increase in semiarid areas due to global climate change. Plant morphological traits can reflect plant responses to a changing environment, such as altered precipitation or drought patterns. In this study,...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.756950/full |
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| author | Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Xin-Ping Liu Xue-Yong Zhao Xue-Yong Zhao Eduardo Medina-Roldánd Yu-Hui He Peng Lv Peng Lv Peng Lv Peng Lv Hong-Jiao Hu Hong-Jiao Hu |
| author_facet | Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Xin-Ping Liu Xue-Yong Zhao Xue-Yong Zhao Eduardo Medina-Roldánd Yu-Hui He Peng Lv Peng Lv Peng Lv Peng Lv Hong-Jiao Hu Hong-Jiao Hu |
| author_sort | Shan-Shan Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events and severe drought are predicted to increase in semiarid areas due to global climate change. Plant morphological traits can reflect plant responses to a changing environment, such as altered precipitation or drought patterns. In this study, we examined the response of morphological traits of root, stem, leaf and reproduction meristems of annual herbaceous species to altered precipitation and drought patterns in a semiarid sandy grassland. The study involved a control treatment (100% of background precipitation) and the following six altered precipitation treatments: (1) P(+): precipitation increased by 30%, (2) P(++): precipitation increased by 60%, (3) P(-): precipitation decreased by 30%, (4) P(--): precipitation decreased by 60%, (5) drought 1 (D1): 46-day drought from May 1st to June 15th, and (6) drought 2 (D2): 46-day drought from July 1st to August 15th. P(++) significantly increased root length, flower length-to-width ratio, both P(+) and P(++) significantly increased stem length and flower number in the plant growing seasons, while all of them decreased under P(-) and P(--). The annual herbaceous plants marginally increased the number of second-level stem branches and stem diameter in order to better resist the severe drought stress under P(--). P(+) and P(++) increased the root, stem, leaf, and flower dry weight, with the flower dry weight accounting for a larger proportion than the other aboveground parts. Under D2, the plants used the limited water resources more efficiently by increasing the root-to-shoot ratio compared with P(-), P(--) and D1, which reflects biomass allocation to belowground increased. The linear mixed-effects models and redundancy analysis showed that the root-to-shoot ratio and the dry weight of various plant components were significantly affected by morphological traits and altered precipitation magnitude. Our results showed that the herbaceous species have evolved morphological trait responses that allow them to adapt to climate change. Such differences in morphological traits may ultimately affect the growing patterns of annual herbaceous species, enhancing their drought-tolerant capacity in semiarid sandy grassland during the ongoing climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:51:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72ac94104c704719be4ef3ab77ddcb5d |
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| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:51:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-72ac94104c704719be4ef3ab77ddcb5d2022-12-22T02:38:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2022-06-011310.3389/fpls.2022.756950756950Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern ChinaShan-Shan Sun0Shan-Shan Sun1Shan-Shan Sun2Shan-Shan Sun3Xin-Ping Liu4Xue-Yong Zhao5Xue-Yong Zhao6Eduardo Medina-Roldánd7Yu-Hui He8Peng Lv9Peng Lv10Peng Lv11Peng Lv12Hong-Jiao Hu13Hong-Jiao Hu14Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaUrat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou, ChinaNaiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaNaiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaUrat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaDepartment of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, ChinaNaiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaNaiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaUrat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaKey Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou, ChinaNaiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaThe frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events and severe drought are predicted to increase in semiarid areas due to global climate change. Plant morphological traits can reflect plant responses to a changing environment, such as altered precipitation or drought patterns. In this study, we examined the response of morphological traits of root, stem, leaf and reproduction meristems of annual herbaceous species to altered precipitation and drought patterns in a semiarid sandy grassland. The study involved a control treatment (100% of background precipitation) and the following six altered precipitation treatments: (1) P(+): precipitation increased by 30%, (2) P(++): precipitation increased by 60%, (3) P(-): precipitation decreased by 30%, (4) P(--): precipitation decreased by 60%, (5) drought 1 (D1): 46-day drought from May 1st to June 15th, and (6) drought 2 (D2): 46-day drought from July 1st to August 15th. P(++) significantly increased root length, flower length-to-width ratio, both P(+) and P(++) significantly increased stem length and flower number in the plant growing seasons, while all of them decreased under P(-) and P(--). The annual herbaceous plants marginally increased the number of second-level stem branches and stem diameter in order to better resist the severe drought stress under P(--). P(+) and P(++) increased the root, stem, leaf, and flower dry weight, with the flower dry weight accounting for a larger proportion than the other aboveground parts. Under D2, the plants used the limited water resources more efficiently by increasing the root-to-shoot ratio compared with P(-), P(--) and D1, which reflects biomass allocation to belowground increased. The linear mixed-effects models and redundancy analysis showed that the root-to-shoot ratio and the dry weight of various plant components were significantly affected by morphological traits and altered precipitation magnitude. Our results showed that the herbaceous species have evolved morphological trait responses that allow them to adapt to climate change. Such differences in morphological traits may ultimately affect the growing patterns of annual herbaceous species, enhancing their drought-tolerant capacity in semiarid sandy grassland during the ongoing climate change.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.756950/fullsemiarid sandy grasslandaltered precipitation patternssevere drought stressannual herbaceous speciesmorphological traitsbiomass allocation patterns |
| spellingShingle | Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Shan-Shan Sun Xin-Ping Liu Xue-Yong Zhao Xue-Yong Zhao Eduardo Medina-Roldánd Yu-Hui He Peng Lv Peng Lv Peng Lv Peng Lv Hong-Jiao Hu Hong-Jiao Hu Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern China Frontiers in Plant Science semiarid sandy grassland altered precipitation patterns severe drought stress annual herbaceous species morphological traits biomass allocation patterns |
| title | Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern China |
| title_full | Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern China |
| title_fullStr | Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern China |
| title_short | Annual Herbaceous Plants Exhibit Altered Morphological Traits in Response to Altered Precipitation and Drought Patterns in Semiarid Sandy Grassland, Northern China |
| title_sort | annual herbaceous plants exhibit altered morphological traits in response to altered precipitation and drought patterns in semiarid sandy grassland northern china |
| topic | semiarid sandy grassland altered precipitation patterns severe drought stress annual herbaceous species morphological traits biomass allocation patterns |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.756950/full |
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