Experimental warming changed plants’ phenological sequences of two dominant species in an alpine meadow, western of Sichuan

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2017.0133

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims We studied phenological sequences of two dominant plants (Polygonum viviparum and Potentilla leuconota) in an alpine meadow of the Hengduan Mt., western of Sichuan to explore the alpine plants responses on climate change.

Methods Open-top chambers (OTCs) chosen by ITEX were used to monitor the warming in the field. After a four-year experimental warming, in the 5th growing season we recorded the phenological sequences of two dominant species, focusing on plant responses on warming. The sequence was divided into four stages: budding, flowering, withering and ripe seeds. Each stage had three events: first, peak, and last.

Important findings Our results showed that: 1) For P. viviparum, experimental warming elicited a shortening of the duration of each stage, advanced all of the phenological events but the first of withering and ripe seeds, shortened the period of each stage and reduced the duration of entire reproduction. 2) For P. leuconota, experimental warming extended the duration of every stage. All phenological events before the end of withering occurred earlier on experimental warming but the peak of flowering. The period of each stage had inconsistent responses on warming and warming prolonged the duration of entire reproduction. The present results indicated that not all phenological events were equally responsive to experimental warming and an entire sequence could be a more accurate way to evaluate the responses on environmental variation. Therefore, the plastic responses to warming of different species would have effects on community composition and structure.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201801003

Key words: alpine meadow, climate change, open-top chamber, Polygonum viviparum, Potentilla leuconota, reproductive phenology

ZHANG Li, WANG Gen-Xu, RAN Fei, PENG A-Hui, XIAO Yao, YANG Yang, YANG Yan. Experimental warming changed plants’ phenological sequences of two dominant species in an alpine meadow, western of Sichuan[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2018, 42(1): 20-27.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2017.0133

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2018/V42/I1/20

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1 Monthly mean air temperature, soil temperature, and soil water content inside and outside the open-top chambers during the growing season. A, Monthly mean air temperature. B, Monthly mean soil temperature at 5 cm soil depth. C, Monthly mean soil temperature at 20 cm soil depth. D, Monthly mean soil water content at 5 cm soil depth. E, Monthly mean soil water content at 20 cm soil depth.

Fig. 2 Phenological shifts at the sequence of Polygonum viviparum (A) and Potentilla leuconota (B). ■, ▲ and ● symbol represent a phenological shift of first, peak, and last of the four stages, respectively. Negative value represents earlier stations than control in days, and the positive value represents delayed stations than control in days. OTCs, open-top chambers.

Table 1 Parameter estimates of GLME models investigating phenological sequences responses to experimental warming

阶段 Stage	状态 Station	银叶委陵菜 Potentilla leuconota			珠芽拳参 Polygonum viviparum
阶段 Stage	状态 Station	N	截距 Intercept	OTCs	N	截距 Intercept	OTCs
花芽期 Budding	开始 First	6	5.11^***	-0.03	13	5.19^***	0.01
	峰值 Peak	6	5.17^***	-0.05	13	5.19^***	0.01
	结束 Last	6	5.23^***	-0.01	13	5.28^***	0.02
开花期 Flowering	开始 First	8	5.17^***	-0.06	10	5.28^***	-0.02
	峰值 Peak	8	5.18^***	0.02	10	5.30^***	-0.01
	结束 Last	8	5.27^***	-0.02	10	5.33^***	-0.02
凋谢期 Withering	开始 First	8	5.18^***	-0.05	13	5.25^***	0.02
	峰值 Peak	8	5.27^***	-0.03	13	5.30^***	0.01
	结束 Last	8	5.36^***	0.04	13	5.33^***	0.01
种子成熟期 Ripe seeds	开始 First	8	5.23^***	0.02	12	5.36^***	-0.02
	峰值 Peak	8	5.37^***	0.02	12	5.38^***	-0.02
	结束 Last	8	5.47^***	0.01	12	5.41^***	-0.03

Fig. 3 Effects of open-top chambers (OTCs) warming on the duration of each stage of Polygonum viviparum (A) and Potentilla leuconota (B)(mean ± SE).

Fig. 4 Effects of open-top chambers (OTCs) warming on the period between the peak time of the neighboring stages of Polygonum viviparum (A) and Potentilla leuconota (B) (mean ± SE).

Appendix I Changes in coverage and height of the two species under experimental warming (mean ± SE). *, p < 0.05

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