| Summary: | Due to wild habitat destruction, <i>Cypripedium</i> is among the most endangered groups in China. Determining how <i>Cypripedium</i> respond to environmental changes is curial to their conservation. However, less is known about the effect of deforestation on the growth of <i>Cypripedium</i>. In this study, we selected four <i>Cypripedium</i> species in Northeast China, and conducted conservation-based transplantation simulating deforestation to explore the impact of increased light intensity on the growth of <i>Cypripedium</i>. After three years, the maximum net photosynthetic rate was decreased by 15.9%, 11.5%, 13.6% and 5.3% for <i>C. calceolus</i> L., <i>C. guttatum</i> Sw., <i>C. macranthos</i> Sw. and <i>C.×ventricosum</i> Sw., respectively, resulting in poor viability, manifesting as shorter and thinner shoots, and smaller leaves. Unexpectedly, no significant traits shifts were found in the roots across four species, which may be related to the long root lifespan and conservation. Our research confirmed that increased light intensity caused by deforestation would lead to an increase in respirate cost and a decrease in photosynthate accumulation, and consequently the recession of plant growth. Except for habitat loss, individual plant reduction caused by deforestation could be responsible for the population decline of <i>Cypripedium</i>.
|
|---|