Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups?
Grasses are widely distributed in various habitats with significantly different characteristics than non-grass species. However, an understanding of the multi-species differences in leaf anatomical traits variation and adaptive strategies between grass and non-grass species is limited. We measured l...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23010221 |
| _version_ | 1797683096668078080 |
|---|---|
| author | Xinrui Liu Xue Wang Haoxuan Chen Kaixi Chen Weiyi Mo Yanqi Yuan Jiang Zhu Ruili Wang Shuoxin Zhang |
| author_facet | Xinrui Liu Xue Wang Haoxuan Chen Kaixi Chen Weiyi Mo Yanqi Yuan Jiang Zhu Ruili Wang Shuoxin Zhang |
| author_sort | Xinrui Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Grasses are widely distributed in various habitats with significantly different characteristics than non-grass species. However, an understanding of the multi-species differences in leaf anatomical traits variation and adaptive strategies between grass and non-grass species is limited. We measured leaf anatomical traits of 242 species from 10 sampling sites along an environmental gradient on the Loess Plateau (from east to west, environmental temperature, precipitation, and soil nutrients decreased, but radiation increased). Nine leaf anatomical traits were measured, and these traits related to the leaf physiological functions of photosynthesis (mesophyll thickness (MT), palisade tissue thickness (PT), spongy tissue thickness (ST)), defense (epidermal thickness (ET) and leaf thickness (LT)), and transport (xylem conduit diameter (CD) and major vein diameter (MVD)). Subsequently, we calculated the trait ratios, which reflect the proportion of investment in trait construction (epiderm-leaf thickness ratio (ET/LT) and mesophyll-leaf thickness ratio (MT/LT)). The results of linear regression analysis showed that non-grasses living under harsh environmental conditions have thicker leaf tissues responsible for photosynthesis and defense compared to grasses from the same environment. However, grasses and non-grasses living under stressful environmental conditions have higher MT/LT and lower ET/LT compared to species living in environments with a more proper resource supply, which indicated that both preferred to invest less in defense-related traits (e.g., epidermal thickness) while cost more in photosynthesis-related traits (e.g., mesophyll thickness) under the limited resource conditions. These findings highlight that grass and non-grass species have different trait characteristics and adaptive strategies in response to environmental changes. More importantly, a new inspiration is provided for exploring the plants’ general investment rule from the perspective of leaf anatomical trait-ratio values. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:09:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca2a0f7efdbd448f8e020742d16f7ce6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:09:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca2a0f7efdbd448f8e020742d16f7ce62023-09-16T05:30:16ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2023-10-01154110880Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups?Xinrui Liu0Xue Wang1Haoxuan Chen2Kaixi Chen3Weiyi Mo4Yanqi Yuan5Jiang Zhu6Ruili Wang7Shuoxin Zhang8College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China.College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Qinling National Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Huoditang, Ningshan, Shaanxi 711600, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China.Grasses are widely distributed in various habitats with significantly different characteristics than non-grass species. However, an understanding of the multi-species differences in leaf anatomical traits variation and adaptive strategies between grass and non-grass species is limited. We measured leaf anatomical traits of 242 species from 10 sampling sites along an environmental gradient on the Loess Plateau (from east to west, environmental temperature, precipitation, and soil nutrients decreased, but radiation increased). Nine leaf anatomical traits were measured, and these traits related to the leaf physiological functions of photosynthesis (mesophyll thickness (MT), palisade tissue thickness (PT), spongy tissue thickness (ST)), defense (epidermal thickness (ET) and leaf thickness (LT)), and transport (xylem conduit diameter (CD) and major vein diameter (MVD)). Subsequently, we calculated the trait ratios, which reflect the proportion of investment in trait construction (epiderm-leaf thickness ratio (ET/LT) and mesophyll-leaf thickness ratio (MT/LT)). The results of linear regression analysis showed that non-grasses living under harsh environmental conditions have thicker leaf tissues responsible for photosynthesis and defense compared to grasses from the same environment. However, grasses and non-grasses living under stressful environmental conditions have higher MT/LT and lower ET/LT compared to species living in environments with a more proper resource supply, which indicated that both preferred to invest less in defense-related traits (e.g., epidermal thickness) while cost more in photosynthesis-related traits (e.g., mesophyll thickness) under the limited resource conditions. These findings highlight that grass and non-grass species have different trait characteristics and adaptive strategies in response to environmental changes. More importantly, a new inspiration is provided for exploring the plants’ general investment rule from the perspective of leaf anatomical trait-ratio values.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23010221GrassesLeaf anatomical trait ratio valuesLeaf anatomical trait valuesLoess plateauNon-grasses |
| spellingShingle | Xinrui Liu Xue Wang Haoxuan Chen Kaixi Chen Weiyi Mo Yanqi Yuan Jiang Zhu Ruili Wang Shuoxin Zhang Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups? Ecological Indicators Grasses Leaf anatomical trait ratio values Leaf anatomical trait values Loess plateau Non-grasses |
| title | Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups? |
| title_full | Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups? |
| title_fullStr | Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups? |
| title_short | Is the multi-species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups? |
| title_sort | is the multi species variation in leaf anatomical traits along the environmental gradient modulated by herbaceous functional groups |
| topic | Grasses Leaf anatomical trait ratio values Leaf anatomical trait values Loess plateau Non-grasses |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23010221 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xinruiliu isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT xuewang isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT haoxuanchen isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT kaixichen isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT weiyimo isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT yanqiyuan isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT jiangzhu isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT ruiliwang isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups AT shuoxinzhang isthemultispeciesvariationinleafanatomicaltraitsalongtheenvironmentalgradientmodulatedbyherbaceousfunctionalgroups |