Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species
Drought is a critical and increasingly common abiotic factor that has impacts on plant structures and functioning and is a challenge for the successful management of forest ecosystems. Here, we test the shifts in leaf morpho-anatomical or hydraulic traits and plant growth above ground caused by drou...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/8/1186 |
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| author | Attaullah Khan Fangyuan Shen Lixue Yang Wei Xing Brent Clothier |
| author_facet | Attaullah Khan Fangyuan Shen Lixue Yang Wei Xing Brent Clothier |
| author_sort | Attaullah Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Drought is a critical and increasingly common abiotic factor that has impacts on plant structures and functioning and is a challenge for the successful management of forest ecosystems. Here, we test the shifts in leaf morpho-anatomical or hydraulic traits and plant growth above ground caused by drought. A factorial experiment was conducted with two gymnosperms (<i>Larix gmelinii</i> and <i>Pinus koraiensis</i>) and two angiosperms (<i>Fraxinus mandshurica</i> and <i>Tilia amurensis</i>), tree species grown under three varying drought intensities in NE China. Considering all the species studied, the plant height (PH), root collar diameter (RCD), and plant biomass (PB) were significantly decreased by drought. The leaf thickness (LT) increased, while the leaf area (LA) decreased with drought intensity. In the gymnosperms, the mesophyll thickness (MT) increased, and the resin duct decreased, while in the angiosperms the palisade mesophyll thickness (PMT), the spongy mesophyll thickness (SMT), and the abaxial (ABE) and adaxial epidermis (ADE) thickness were increased by drought. The correlation analysis revealed that <i>P. koraiensis</i> and <i>F. mandshurica</i> had the higher RMF and total plant biomass, but the least LMF, suggesting drought tolerance. In contrast, the <i>L. gmelinii</i> had the least RMF and higher LMF, suggesting vulnerability to drought. Similarly, <i>T. amurensis</i> had the higher leaf size, which increased the evaporative demand and depleted the soil water quickly relative to the other species. The interrelation among the morpho-anatomical leaf traits was equally affected by drought across all the studied species, suggesting that there is no clear evidence to differentiate the taxa based on drought resistance vs. drought tolerance. Thus, we have identified some easily measurable traits (i.e., LMF, RMF, and PB) which evidenced the seedling’s ability to cope with drought and which therefore could be used as proxies in the selection of drought tolerant species for reforestation in the temperate forest. |
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| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:00:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-bcd5610510734d79bed04e353409aa022023-12-01T23:26:20ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-08-01118118610.3390/biology11081186Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest SpeciesAttaullah Khan0Fangyuan Shen1Lixue Yang2Wei Xing3Brent Clothier4Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaSustainable Production, New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4474, New ZealandDrought is a critical and increasingly common abiotic factor that has impacts on plant structures and functioning and is a challenge for the successful management of forest ecosystems. Here, we test the shifts in leaf morpho-anatomical or hydraulic traits and plant growth above ground caused by drought. A factorial experiment was conducted with two gymnosperms (<i>Larix gmelinii</i> and <i>Pinus koraiensis</i>) and two angiosperms (<i>Fraxinus mandshurica</i> and <i>Tilia amurensis</i>), tree species grown under three varying drought intensities in NE China. Considering all the species studied, the plant height (PH), root collar diameter (RCD), and plant biomass (PB) were significantly decreased by drought. The leaf thickness (LT) increased, while the leaf area (LA) decreased with drought intensity. In the gymnosperms, the mesophyll thickness (MT) increased, and the resin duct decreased, while in the angiosperms the palisade mesophyll thickness (PMT), the spongy mesophyll thickness (SMT), and the abaxial (ABE) and adaxial epidermis (ADE) thickness were increased by drought. The correlation analysis revealed that <i>P. koraiensis</i> and <i>F. mandshurica</i> had the higher RMF and total plant biomass, but the least LMF, suggesting drought tolerance. In contrast, the <i>L. gmelinii</i> had the least RMF and higher LMF, suggesting vulnerability to drought. Similarly, <i>T. amurensis</i> had the higher leaf size, which increased the evaporative demand and depleted the soil water quickly relative to the other species. The interrelation among the morpho-anatomical leaf traits was equally affected by drought across all the studied species, suggesting that there is no clear evidence to differentiate the taxa based on drought resistance vs. drought tolerance. Thus, we have identified some easily measurable traits (i.e., LMF, RMF, and PB) which evidenced the seedling’s ability to cope with drought and which therefore could be used as proxies in the selection of drought tolerant species for reforestation in the temperate forest.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/8/1186<i>Larix gmelinii</i><i>Pinus koraiensis</i><i>Fraxinus mandshurica</i><i>Tilia amurensis</i>drought tolerantleaf hydraulic traits |
| spellingShingle | Attaullah Khan Fangyuan Shen Lixue Yang Wei Xing Brent Clothier Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species Biology <i>Larix gmelinii</i> <i>Pinus koraiensis</i> <i>Fraxinus mandshurica</i> <i>Tilia amurensis</i> drought tolerant leaf hydraulic traits |
| title | Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species |
| title_full | Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species |
| title_fullStr | Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species |
| title_short | Limited Acclimation in Leaf Morphology and Anatomy to Experimental Drought in Temperate Forest Species |
| title_sort | limited acclimation in leaf morphology and anatomy to experimental drought in temperate forest species |
| topic | <i>Larix gmelinii</i> <i>Pinus koraiensis</i> <i>Fraxinus mandshurica</i> <i>Tilia amurensis</i> drought tolerant leaf hydraulic traits |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/8/1186 |
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