Conversion of native forest to exotic Pinus radiata plantation: Response of understorey plant composition using a plant functional trait approach

This study aimed to determine the response of native plant species to changed growing conditions, especially increased shade, following establishment of exotic Pinus radiata plantation on cleared native eucalypt forest. In the Northern Hemisphere, species tolerant to shading are typically herbaceous perennials, with large seeds, no obvious mechanism of seed dispersal, and spread by clonal means. We investigated whether life form, mode of seed dispersal, leaf area, specific leaf area (SLA), nutrient uptake strategy, seed mass, fire response, plant height, and clonal spread differed between understorey species of pine plantation and native forest. Further, we asked whether plant functional traits that confer tolerance to stress through shading differ from those in other floras. The study was conducted on the Delatite Peninsula in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. Vegetation of adjacent native forest and pine plantation were surveyed using eight 7 m × 7 m plots per site, randomly located within five paired sites. Differences in plant traits between land-use types were tested by Non-metric Multi-dimensional Scaling (NMDS), analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) and paired t-tests. Cluster analysis of the nine plant traits was used to define emergent groups, with differences between land-use types examined by ANOSIM and indicator species analysis. There was a significant change in the composition of understorey vegetation following conversion to pine plantation that included a decline in the richness of native species. NMDS of plant attributes showed a clear separation of native forest from pine plantation with land use strongly correlated in ordination space (r² = 0.611). Cluster analysis produced seven emergent groups of plant functional traits for 78 identified plant species. Phanerophytes split into two groups (myrmecochorous trees and shrubs; myrmecochorous shrubs), perennial herbs into four groups (upright herbs, myrmecochorous herbs, barochorous herbs, flat rosette herbs) with one group representing therophytes and anemochorous perennials. Perennial herbs with intermediate SLA and clonal spread were tolerant of the shaded conditions in pine plantation while the two groups of phanerophytes and the myrmecochorous herbs were largely excluded. Shared traits of excluded emergent groups included those that provided an over-riding adaptation to mineral nutrient stress, including myrmecochory, low SLA, ectomycorrhizal and ericoid mycorrhizal associations and N₂-fixation. These plant traits could not provide tolerance to stress through shading, which is better explained by the open canopied nature of the native forest.     

Variations in leaf functional traits among plant species grouped by growth and leaf types in Zhenjiang,China

Leaf functional traits are adaptations that enable plants to live under various environmental conditions. This study aims to determine the differences in leaf functional traits among plants grouped by growth habit, leaf life span, leaf lifestyle, leaf form, and origin. Specific leaf area (SLA) of perennial or evergreen species was lower than that of annual or deciduous species because longer-lived leaves of perennial or evergreen species require more investment in structural integrity and/or defense against disturbances, especially with any resource constraint. SLA of large individuals was lower than that of small individuals. The low SLA in large individuals can improve their response to changing light and water conditions because increasing plant height is advantageous for light competition, but it can also impose a cost in terms of structural support and water transport. Petioles of plants with compound leaves were significantly longer than those of simple leaves because branching is expensive in terms of gaining height. SLA of plants increased with increasing invasiveness accordingly, and SLA of invasive plants was higher than that of their native congeners because invasive plants should invest more biomass on leaf growth rather than leaf structures per unit area to achieve a higher growth rate. Overall, variation in leaf functional traits among different groups may play an adaptive role in the successful survival of plants under diverse environments because leaf functional traits can lead to pronounced effects on leaf function, especially the acquisition and use of light. Plant species with different growth and leaf traits balance resource acquisition and leaf construction to minimize trade-offs and achieve fitness advantages in their natural habitat.     

三种园林植物叶形态生理指标及其环境指示作用

通过测定3种南方园林植物的叶面积、叶片含水量、比叶面积和叶绿素指数4项形态和生理指标,并对两种不同环境条件下各指标的差异进行分析,验证3种园林植物利用资源及对环境适应的能力。结果表明,高山榕(Ficus altissima)生长较快但不能较好地适应大气污染,白千层(Melaleuca quinquenervia)能抗大气污染,而尖叶杜英(Elaeocarpus apiculatus)更能适应资源丰富的环境条件。     

Plant functional groups based on vegetative and reproductive traits in a subtropical forest community

Plant functional types (PFTs) are essential for us to research on community structure and dynamics. A proper criterion for assessing PFTs in a broad-leaved community is yet to be established, and the reports for correlations between PFTs and plant succession are still rare. The current study aimed to: (1) detect which functional trait(s) of woody species would best characterize PFTs in a forest community, and (2) explore general trends of functional traits with plant succession. We sampled fruit-bearing twigs of 55 woody species in a subtropical forest in southwest China, and recorded two sets of sizes of functional traits including both vegetative and reproductive organs. A principal components analysis (PCA) was performed on the functional traits studied, and the functional types were grouped out with K-means clustering. Next, the relationship between PFTs and species succession status was examined. The PCA revealed that of all the functional traits studied, twig sizes may exert a greatest impact on the traits assemblages and PFTs’ performances in this community, i.e., twig size may act as an important determinant for PFTs at the species level. The 55 woody species were classified into three distinct PFTs whose sizes tended to increase with the advance of species succession. Twig size tended to combine with leaf size, and so was the fruit size with seed size.     

竹类植物光合特性与叶片功能性状研究

光合作用指标作为植物重要生理特性指标,受植物自身遗传特性与周围环境因素影响。植物叶片功能性状反映植物遗传特性以及植物适应周围环境变化的响应对策。因此,研究植物叶片功能性状指标与光合特性参数之间的相关性,具有重要的生理意义和应用价值。竹类植物作为地球陆地生态系统重要组成部分,对竹类植物光合特性与叶片功能性状的研究可为竹子经济栽培、经营管理、合理利用提供理论依据。文中总结了竹种光合特性已有研究成果,归纳影响竹子光合作用的影响因子,评述竹类植物叶片功能性状的研究内容及其对周围环境的响应,探讨竹类植物光合特性与叶片功能性状之间的相关性,并在此基础上提出了竹类植物光合特性与叶片功能性状研究展望。     

Plant functional types rather than climate or soil determine leaf traits in the forest biomes of eastern China

Nitrogen (N) has great ecological importance, but the biogeographic pattern across forest biomes in China has only recently been explored. Here we conducted a systematic census of leaf C and N following the same protocol to explore the variations of leaf traits, and their possible responses to plant functional types (PFTs) and environmental factors. Results showed that leaf traits varied substantially across biomes, and the relationships of PFTs to climatic factors were stronger than those of PFTs versus soil nutrient proxies, indicating that plant species composition might be a better predictor of plant species distribution with climate than leaf traits. Soil nutrient proxies explained more variation of leaf traits than climate, which demonstrates that leaf traits reflect important aspects of plant responses to soil nutrients. Importantly, partial general linear models analyses found that PFTs showed the greatest direct influence for leaf traits, and climate and soil affected leaf traits mainly through the change in plant species composition rather than having direct impacts. Hence, we concluded that leaf traits were largely controlled by PFTs rather than climate or soil at the biome scale. The results favored the species composition hypothesis, indicating that leaf nutrient concentration is mainly determined by PFTs.     

极端干旱区绿洲胡杨叶片性状及其对水分条件的响应

为探究荒漠植物对极端干旱环境的响应,对额济纳绿洲胡杨5个叶功能性状及其对水土异质性的响应进行测定与分析。结果显示:胡杨叶功能性状具有不同程度的变异幅度,变异系数最大的为比叶面积;比叶面积与叶片厚度呈显著负相关,与叶氮、磷含量呈显著正相关,其是反映胡杨适应干旱环境的关键指标;地下水与土壤含水率对胡杨叶性状解释率最高,表明水分是胡杨叶性状的主要影响因素,可以通过合理的分水措施对胡杨种群进行加以保护。     

海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林生理生态功能群特征

在海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林,野外测定获得3个与植物-大气相互作用直接相关的生理生态特性指标(最大净光合速率、最大气孔导度和比叶面积),应用等级聚类分析和NMS排序方法对热带山地雨林的主要植物进行功能群划分,分析热带山地雨林4个演替阶段(初期、早期、中期和后期)生理生态功能群组成及其动态规律。结果表明:海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林的87个主要植物种类可划分为8个功能群,检验结果显示功能群间存在显著差异,而功能群内同质性较高;功能群的丰富度及相对多度在不同演替阶段差异显著;功能群的丰富度在演替初期最低,演替早、中期最高,演替后期略有降低;演替初期的优势功能群光合能力强,水分利用效率低,演替早、中期的优势功能群光合能力、水分利用效率均为中等;演替后期的优势功能群光合能力偏低,水分利用效率高。     

Genetic and functional leaf traits variability of Quercus laurina along an oak diversity gradient in Mexico

The ecological literature has documented the effects of plant hybridization on phenotypic variation, and dominant, intermediate, or novel morphological, chemical and physiological traits in hybrids. It is important to understand the ecological consequences of hybridization by evaluating their impact on phenotypic expression of functional traits. We evaluated the relationship between genetic diversity of Quercus laurina and functional foliar traits along an oak diversity gradient. We selected five study sites that represent an oak diversity gradient where Q. laurina is present. Using chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites, we evaluated genetic diversity, measured functional foliar traits of Q. laurina in each site and assessed the effects of local climate variables on the oak community and functional traits. We found a greater abundance of Q. laurina in all study sites. We did not find a relationship between the number of accompanying red oak species and the population genetic diversity in Q. laurina, but higher genetic diversity was found in all study sites in comparison with European oak species. Sites with more oak species had more variation of foliar functional traits. Our results do not support the hypothesis that predicts higher levels of genetic diversity of Q. laurina in communities with greater oak diversity from the same section, but we demonstrated an increase in the foliar functional traits of Q. laurina associated with oak richness and climate variables. We highlight the need to consider environmental and ecological variables linkages as regulatory mechanisms of the phenotypic plasticity expressed in changes of some functional attributes of oaks.

     

Factors influencing levels of genetic diversity in woody plant species

The plant allozyme literature was reviewed to: (1) compare genetic diversity in long-lived woody species with species representing other life forms, and (2) to investigate whether the levels and distribution of genetic diversity in woody species are related to life history and ecological characteristics. Data from 322 woody taxa were used to measure genetic diversity within species, and within and among populations of species. Woody species maintain more variation within species and within populations than species with other life forms but have less variation among populations. Woody species with large geographic ranges, outcrossing breeding systems, and wind or animal-ingested seed dispersal have more genetic diversity within species and populations but less variation among populations than woody species with other combinations of traits. Although life history and ecological traits explain a significant proportion (34%) of the variation among species for the genetic parameters measured, a large proportion of the interspecific variation is unexplained. The specific evolutionary history of each species must play an important role in determining the level and distribution of genetic diversity.     

Functional convergence in hydraulic architecture and water relations of tropical savanna trees: from leaf to whole plant

Functional convergence in hydraulic architecture and water relations, and potential trade-offs in resource allocation were investigated in six dominant neotropical savanna tree species from central Brazil during the peak of the dry season. Common relationships between wood density and several aspects of plant water relations and hydraulic architecture were observed. All species and individuals shared the same negative exponential relationship between sapwood saturated water content and wood density. Wood density was a good predictor of minimum (midday) leaf water potential and total daily transpiration, both of which decreased linearly with increasing wood density for all individuals and species. With respect to hydraulic architecture, specific and leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity decreased and the leaf:sapwood area ratio increased more than 5-fold as wood density increased from 0.37 to 0.71 g cm(-3) for all individuals and species. Wood density was also a good predictor of the temporal dynamics of water flow in stems, with the time of onset of sap flow in the morning and the maximum sap flow tending to occur progressively earlier in the day as wood density increased. Leaf properties associated with wood density included stomatal conductance, specific leaf area, and osmotic potential at the turgor loss point, which decreased linearly with increasing wood density. Wood density increased linearly with decreasing bulk soil water potential experienced by individual plants during the dry season, suggesting that wood density was greatest in individuals with mostly shallow roots, and therefore limited access to more abundant soil water at greater depths. Despite their taxonomic diversity and large intrapopulation differences in architectural traits, the six co-occurring species and their individuals shared similar functional relationships between all pairs of variables studied. Thus, rather than differing intrinsically in physiological responsiveness, the species and the individuals appeared to have distinct operating ranges along common physiological response curves dictated by plant architectural and structural features. The patterns of water uptake and access to soil water during the dry season appeared to be the main determinant of wood density, which constrained evolutionary options related to plant water economy and hydraulic architecture, leading to functional convergence in the neotropical savanna trees studied.     

青杄云杉不同植株种子发芽性状的观测与分析

以青杄云杉为材料,观测种子发芽性状,结果表明:不同植株种子发芽率变动在86%~94%之间,均值为90%;发芽势变动在57%~73%之间,均值为65%,发芽率的差异由株间遗传性不同所致。种子具有发芽启动快、整齐的特点,发芽观测时间以14 d为宜。     

Leaf- and shoot-level plasticity in response to different nutrient and water availabilities

Phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental variation occurs at all levels of organization and across temporal scales within plants. However, the magnitude and functional significance of plasticity is largely unexplored in perennial species. We measured the plasticity of leaf- and shoot-level physiological, morphological and developmental traits in nursery-grown Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh. individuals subjected to different nutrient and water availabilities. We also examined the extent to which nutrient and water availability influenced the relationships between these traits and productivity. Populus deltoides responded to changes in resource availability with high plasticity in shoot-level traits and moderate plasticity in leaf-level traits. Although shoot-level traits generally correlated strongly with productivity across fertilization and irrigation treatments, few leaf-level traits correlated with productivity, and the relationships depended on the resource examined. In fertilized plants, leaf nitrogen concentration was negatively correlated with productivity, suggesting that growth, rather than enhanced leaf quality, is an important response to fertilization in this species. With the exception of photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency, traits associated with resource conservation (leaf senescence rate, water-use efficiency and leaf mass per area) were uncorrelated with short-term productivity in nutrient- and water-stressed plants. Our results suggest that plasticity in shoot-level growth traits has a greater impact on plant productivity than does plasticity in leaf-level traits and that the relationships between traits and productivity are highly resource dependent.     

A 10-year evaluation of the functional basis for regeneration habitat preference of trees in an African evergreen forest

The spatial distribution of tree juveniles in relation to light environments may reflect species differences in growth, survival, and functional traits and will shape the nature of forest regeneration. Long-term field experiments are important to evaluate this issue because of the potentially very long juvenile period in trees. Here, we combine a 10-year seedling survival–growth data with the results of community ordination and multivariate analyses of functional traits to ask how observed juvenile light guilds are related to species functional traits and seedling performance. We transplanted seedlings at a standardized height of 11 cm into the shaded understory and quantified their growth and survival for 10-years. Using the community-wide stem distribution data, we categorized 33 species including the focal 11 species to understory vs. gap/edge guilds. Then, we determined differences between the two guilds in seedling survival, growth, as well as seed size, adult height, and a series of leaf traits, including toughness and chemical traits (fiber, protein, phenolics, tannins, alkaloids, saponins). Among the 11 non-pioneer species whose seedlings were planted into the understory, there was no significant difference in 10-year survival between light guilds, but species in gap/edge guild tended to achieve greater height than species in the understory guild. The leaf chemical traits of 33 species did not differ between the two juvenile light guilds, but gap/edge species had smaller seeds, taller adults, and tougher leaves than understory species. We used logistic regression as a complementary approach to assess the extent to which plant traits varied between light guilds and the most parsimonious model based on AIC_c ranking included only leaf toughness and had an Akaike weight of 0.52. In addition, across the 11 species planted as seedlings, these traits were not significantly related to survivorship or growth over 10 years. A Principle Components Analysis illustrated associations among traits. We conclude that light guilds in terms of juvenile stem distribution could not be explained by long-term field performance of post-establishment seedlings alone. Earlier seedling stage or later sapling stage may be more important in differentiation of light guilds. For the species examined difference in growth rates could be linked to seed size and adult stature, but not to the adult leaf chemical traits considered. These results suggest the importance of examining ontogenetic shifts and relationships among functional traits for a better understanding of regeneration strategies of tropical trees.     

Impact of urbanization on plant diversity: A case study in built-up areas of Beijing

Urbanization is developing rapidly in the world, which seriously changes the habitat of organisms and has clearly a negative effect on biodiversity. Preservation of biodiversity is crucial in urban planning and management, which is also an important symbol for the level of greening. Problems such as scarcity of urban green space and plant species have become obstacles to the establishment of ecological friendly cities. However, coexistence of nature and modernization, as well the coordination of economic development and biodiversity, are goals that people are seeking. We have taken the builtup areas of Beijing as a study case and discussed the impacts of urbanization on plant diversity, with the support of fieldwork and SPOT remote sensing data. The results are as follows： 1） in the process of urbanization, exotic plants have been widely introduced, which has affected species composition and the proportion of native plants; it is clear that artificial green spaces always will have a lower level of plant diversity than natural green spaces; 2） functional differences of green space types partially decide their species abundance, so that plant diversity in greenbelts and streets is generally lower than in parks; 3） the spatial variety of plant diversity contributes much to the imbalance of district de- velopment and the planning of different functional zones; this variation is embodied in different ring-belts and directions; 4） habitat fragmentation also affects plant diversity to a great extent; there is a significant positive correlation between high fragmentation and low plant diversity. According our results, some suggestions are proposed, which would be suitable for the preservation of plant di- versity and ecological improvement during urbanization.     

Intra-plant variation in cyanogenesis and the continuum of foliar plant defense traits in the rainforest tree Ryparosa kurrangii (Achariaceae)

At the intra-plant level, temporal and spatial variations in plant defense traits can be influenced by resource requirements, defensive priorities and storage opportunities. Across a leaf age gradient, cyanogenic glycoside concentrations in the rainforest understory tree Ryparosa kurrangii B.L. Webber were higher in young expanding leaves than in mature leaves (2.58 and 1.38 mg g(-1), respectively). Moreover, cyanogens, as an effective chemical defense against generalist herbivores, contributed to a defense continuum protecting foliar tissue during leaf development. Chemical (cyanogens and phenolic compounds) and phenological (delayed greening) defense traits protected young leaves, whereas mature leaves were largely protected by physical defense mechanisms (lamina toughness; explained primarily by leaf mass per area). Cyanogen concentration was considerably higher in floral tissue than in foliar tissue and decreased in floral tissue during development. Across contrasting tropical seasons, foliar cyanogenic concentration varied significantly, being highest in the late wet season and lowest during the pre-wet season, the latter coinciding with fruiting and leaf flushing. Cyanogens in R. kurrangii appear to be differentially allocated in a way that maximizes plant fitness but may also act as a store of reduced nitrogen that is remobilized during flowering and leaf flushing.     

Changes in root growth and relationships between plant organs and root hydraulic traits in American elm (Ulmus americana L.) and red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings due to elevated CO2 level

The relationships between plant organs and root hydrological traits are not well known and the question arises whether elevated CO2 changes these relationships. This study attempted to answer this question. A pseudo-replicated experiment was conducted with two times 24 American elm (Ulmus americana L.) and 23 and 24 red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings growing in ambient CO2 (around 360 μmol·L–1) and 540 ± 7.95 μmol·L–1 CO₂ in a greenhouse. After 71 days of treatment for American elm and 77 days for red oak, 14 American elm and 12 red oak seedlings from each of the two CO2 levels were randomly selected in order to examine the flow rate of root xylem sap, root hydraulic conductance, total root hydraulic conductivity, fine root and coarse root hydraulic conductivity. All seedlings were harvested to investigate total plant biomass, stem biomass and leaf biomass, leaf area, height, basal diameter, total root biomass, coarse root biomass and fine root biomass. The following conclusions are reached: 1) plant organs respond to the elevated CO2 level earlier than hydraulic traits of roots and may gradually lead to changes in hydraulic traits; 2) plant organs have different relationships with hydraulic traits of roots and elevated CO2 changes these relationships; the changes may be of importance for plants as means to acclimatize to changing environments; 3) biomass of coarse roots increased rather more than that of fine roots; 4) Lorentzian and Caussian models are better in estimating the biomass of seedlings than single-variable models.     

基于二代测序的集群分离分析法在木本植物基因定位中的应用

植物重要性状相关的数量性状基因座（QTL）和基因定位一直是结构基因组学的研究重点,也是遗传机制解析和分子育种的重要基础。木本植物具有重要的经济、生态价值,但用于其研究的传统基因定位方法存在耗时长、工作量大、通量低、成本高且效果不佳等问题。近年来,由于测序技术发展日新月异,基于二代测序技术的集群分离分析法（NGS-based BSA）开始应用于木本植物中。与传统的集群分离分析法（BSA）技术相比,NGS-based BSA周期短、效率高,能对质量或数量性状进行精确定位,在木本植物遗传学和组学研究方面具有广阔的应用前景。文中简述了BSA的发展历程和研究策略,综述了其在木本植物研究中的进展,分析了NGS-based BSA的优势及存在的问题,展望了其在木本植物遗传学、组学和种质改良领域中的应用潜力。     

从植物园功能建设谈植物种质资源持续发展

本文从植物园功能建设角度,论述了植物园对植物种质资源保护、开发利用、促进区域植物多样性以及进行植物遗传育种的基础研究诸方面所发挥的作用,并主要以呼和浩特树木园所进行的植物园建设为例阐述植物园与植物种质资源稳定、持续发展的关系。