Difference in non-structural carbohydrates between fresh and senescent leaves of 11 tree species in a subtropical common-garden

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2021.0010

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are available carbon in plants and can be utilized as an energy source during plant metabolism, so NSC are important components for plant growth and metabolic activities, particularly under environmental stress. Moreover, NSC in senescent leaves as litter-fall provide available carbon for soil microorganisms involving in soil organic matter formation and biogeochemical cycles in forests. Therefore, study on the variation in NSC between fresh and senescent leaves is of great significance for understanding the carbon metabolism during plant growth and carbon biogeochemical cycles during early decomposition of plant litter. The objective of this study was to determine the difference in NSC content between fresh and senescent leaves of 11 subtropical tree species and the variation between leaves with different plant functional types.

Methods A common garden was established in the stands with similar soil development, aspect, slope, and management history at the Sanming Research Station of Forest Ecosystem and Global Change in February 2012. A total of 13 representative subtropical tree species (2-year-old) were planted in the common garden, which were designed according to random blocks with 4 replicates for each tree species (a total of 52 plots with approximately 0.1 hm² for each plot). In this study, the fresh and senescent leaves of 11 tree species, including evergreen broadleaved species Schima superba, Lindera communis, Elaeocarpus decipiens, Michelia macclurei, Castanopsis carlesii and Cinnamomum camphora, deciduous broadleaved tree species Liriodendron chinense, Liquidambar formosana and Sapindus mukorossi, and coniferous tree species Cunninghamia lanceolata and Pinus massoniana were collected in August 2019. The contents of NSCs, including soluble sugars and starch, in fresh and senescent leaves of the 11 tree species were determined.

Important findings The NSC content was significantly higher in fresh leaves than that in senescent leaves for all of the studied tree species. The NSC contents in fresh leaves were 68.7-126.3 mg∙g^-1, while those in senescent leaves were 31.4-79.5 mg∙g^-1. Notably, the variation in soluble sugar between fresh leaves and senescent leaves was much greater than that of starch. Specifically, the average content of soluble sugar in fresh leaves was 3.3 times greater than that of senescent leaves, and the average starch content in fresh leaves was 1.2 times greater than that of senescent leaves. Moreover, the NSC contents in both fresh and senescent leaves varied significantly among trees with different plant functional types. For example, the NSC contents in both fresh and senescent leaves of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved trees showed similar levels, while the NSC contents in evergreen coniferous trees were significantly lower than those in broad-leaved trees. In fresh leaves, the average NSC contents in evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved trees were 99.7 and 96.8 mg∙g^-1, respectively, while the average NSC content in evergreen coniferous trees was 75.4 mg∙g^-1; In senescent leaves, the average NSC contents in evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved trees were 47.2 and 50.7 mg∙g^-1, respectively, while the average NSC content in evergreen coniferous trees was 33.3 mg∙g^-1. These results suggest that NSC, an important carbon metabolic component for trees, could be transferred from senescent leaves to fresh leaves before senescence; this is a significant strategy for carbon storage during plant growth. However, the NSC content was significantly lower in subtropical coniferous trees (such as Cunninghamia lanceolata and Pinus massoniana) than in broad-leaved trees, regardless of fresh and senescent leaves, suggesting that the initial substrate quality is lower in these coniferous litters with less labile components following forest plantation in subtropical China. This difference in NSC content in foliar litter has significant influence for litter decomposition and soil organic matter formation mediated by microbial metabolism and turnover. These results are of great significance for improving the theory of carbon metabolism during plant growth and for understanding the dynamic changes of carbon components during the early decomposition of leaves litter in subtropical forests.

Key words: common-garden, non-structural carbohydrates, senescent leaves, soluble sugars, starch, subtropical forest

WU Qiu-Xia, WU Fu-Zhong, HU Yi, KANG Zi-Jia, ZHANG Yao-Yi, YANG Jing, YUE Kai, NI Xiang-Yin, YANG Yu-Sheng. Difference in non-structural carbohydrates between fresh and senescent leaves of 11 tree species in a subtropical common-garden[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2021, 45(7): 771-779.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2021.0010

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2021/V45/I7/771

Figures/Tables 5

References 31

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树种 Tree species	土壤容重 Soil bulk density (g·cm^-3)	土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)	土壤孔隙度 Soil porosity (%)	土壤最大持水量 Soil maximum water holding capacity (g·kg^-1)
鹅掌楸 Liriodendron chinense	1.16 ± 0.07^d	10.35 ± 0.62^b	45.06 ± 1.31^a	405.18 ± 31.24^a
枫香 Liquidambar formosana	1.36 ± 0.04^ab	11.01 ± 0.65^ab	45.05 ± 1.69^a	342.15 ± 22.39^ab
无患子 Sapindus mukorossi	1.29 ± 0.04^ab	11.41 ± 0.53^ab	45.50 ± 1.21^a	363.62 ± 18.38^ab
杉木 Cunninghamia lanceolata	1.35 ± 0.04^ab	11.67 ± 0.06^ab	44.55 ± 1.11^a	337.08 ± 18.01^ab
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	1.42 ± 0.10^a	10.93 ± 0.54^ab	43.00 ± 1.31^a	313.06 ± 37.53^b
木荷 Schima superba	1.26 ± 0.07^b	11.97 ± 0.55^a	42.97 ± 2.55^a	361.34 ± 37.11^ab
香叶 Lindera communis	1.22 ± 0.04^c	11.42 ± 0.24^ab	46.17 ± 1.81^a	389.44 ± 27.07^ab
杜英 Elaeocarpus decipiens	1.26 ± 0.02^ab	11.10 ± 0.46^ab	44.45 ± 1.19^a	375.31 ± 11.05^ab
火力楠 Michelia macclurei	1.36 ± 0.04^ab	10.34 ± 0.44^b	41.78 ± 1.07^a	320.18 ± 16.62^b
米槠 Castanopsis carlesii	1.27 ± 0.06^ab	11.01 ± 0.58^ab	45.08 ± 1.54^a	368.95 ± 30.18^ab
香樟 Cinnamomum camphora	1.39 ± 0.02^ab	9.68 ± 0.41^b	43.66 ± 0.32^a	322.19 ± 3.63^b

树种 Tree species	土壤容重 Soil bulk density (g·cm^-3)	土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)	土壤孔隙度 Soil porosity (%)	土壤最大持水量 Soil maximum water holding capacity (g·kg^-1)
鹅掌楸 Liriodendron chinense	1.16 ± 0.07^d	10.35 ± 0.62^b	45.06 ± 1.31^a	405.18 ± 31.24^a
枫香 Liquidambar formosana	1.36 ± 0.04^ab	11.01 ± 0.65^ab	45.05 ± 1.69^a	342.15 ± 22.39^ab
无患子 Sapindus mukorossi	1.29 ± 0.04^ab	11.41 ± 0.53^ab	45.50 ± 1.21^a	363.62 ± 18.38^ab
杉木 Cunninghamia lanceolata	1.35 ± 0.04^ab	11.67 ± 0.06^ab	44.55 ± 1.11^a	337.08 ± 18.01^ab
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	1.42 ± 0.10^a	10.93 ± 0.54^ab	43.00 ± 1.31^a	313.06 ± 37.53^b
木荷 Schima superba	1.26 ± 0.07^b	11.97 ± 0.55^a	42.97 ± 2.55^a	361.34 ± 37.11^ab
香叶 Lindera communis	1.22 ± 0.04^c	11.42 ± 0.24^ab	46.17 ± 1.81^a	389.44 ± 27.07^ab
杜英 Elaeocarpus decipiens	1.26 ± 0.02^ab	11.10 ± 0.46^ab	44.45 ± 1.19^a	375.31 ± 11.05^ab
火力楠 Michelia macclurei	1.36 ± 0.04^ab	10.34 ± 0.44^b	41.78 ± 1.07^a	320.18 ± 16.62^b
米槠 Castanopsis carlesii	1.27 ± 0.06^ab	11.01 ± 0.58^ab	45.08 ± 1.54^a	368.95 ± 30.18^ab
香樟 Cinnamomum camphora	1.39 ± 0.02^ab	9.68 ± 0.41^b	43.66 ± 0.32^a	322.19 ± 3.63^b

树种 Tree species	功能类型 Functional type	树高 Tree height (m)	胸径 DBH (cm)	叶片生物量 Leaf biomass (t·hm^-2)
鹅掌楸 Liriodendron chinense	落叶阔叶 Deciduous broadleaved	-	-	-
枫香 Liquidambar formosana	落叶阔叶 Deciduous broadleaved	-	-	-
无患子 Sapindus mukorossi	落叶阔叶 Deciduous broadleaved	-	-	-
杉木 Cunninghamia lanceolata	常绿针叶 Evergreen coniferous	7.34 ± 0.21^a	10.24 ± 0.43^a	4.97 ± 0.32^a
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	常绿针叶 Evergreen coniferous	4.61 ± 0.08^d	6.36 ± 0.14^b	0.68 ± 0.09^d
木荷 Schima superba	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	5.26 ± 0.18^bc	6.37 ± 0.36^b	0.99 ± 0.06^cd
香叶 Lindera communis	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	-	-	-
杜英 Elaeocarpus decipiens	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	5.64 ± 0.26^b	10.21 ± 0.55^a	1.44 ± 0.10^bc
火力楠 Michelia macclurei	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	4.90 ± 0.01^cd	7.00 ± 0.15^b	1.06 ± 0.11^cd
米槠 Castanopsis carlesii	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	5.65 ± 0.26^b	7.26 ± 0.47^b	0.78 ± 0.15^d
香樟 Cinnamomum camphora	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	4.61 ± 0.25^d	6.58 ± 0.31^b	1.67 ± 0.27^b

树种 Tree species	功能类型 Functional type	树高 Tree height (m)	胸径 DBH (cm)	叶片生物量 Leaf biomass (t·hm^-2)
鹅掌楸 Liriodendron chinense	落叶阔叶 Deciduous broadleaved	-	-	-
枫香 Liquidambar formosana	落叶阔叶 Deciduous broadleaved	-	-	-
无患子 Sapindus mukorossi	落叶阔叶 Deciduous broadleaved	-	-	-
杉木 Cunninghamia lanceolata	常绿针叶 Evergreen coniferous	7.34 ± 0.21^a	10.24 ± 0.43^a	4.97 ± 0.32^a
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	常绿针叶 Evergreen coniferous	4.61 ± 0.08^d	6.36 ± 0.14^b	0.68 ± 0.09^d
木荷 Schima superba	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	5.26 ± 0.18^bc	6.37 ± 0.36^b	0.99 ± 0.06^cd
香叶 Lindera communis	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	-	-	-
杜英 Elaeocarpus decipiens	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	5.64 ± 0.26^b	10.21 ± 0.55^a	1.44 ± 0.10^bc
火力楠 Michelia macclurei	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	4.90 ± 0.01^cd	7.00 ± 0.15^b	1.06 ± 0.11^cd
米槠 Castanopsis carlesii	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	5.65 ± 0.26^b	7.26 ± 0.47^b	0.78 ± 0.15^d
香樟 Cinnamomum camphora	常绿阔叶 Evergreen broadleaved	4.61 ± 0.25^d	6.58 ± 0.31^b	1.67 ± 0.27^b

非结构性碳水化合物 Non-structural carbohydrate	变异来源 Source of variation	自由度 df	F	p
非结构性碳水化合物 Non-structural carbohydrate	树种 Tree speices	10	9.0	<0.001
	叶类型 Leaf	1	229.5	<0.001
	树种×叶类型 Tree speices × Leaf	10	3.4	<0.01
可溶性糖 Soluble sugars	树种 Tree speices	10	8.9	<0.001
	叶类型 Leaf	1	242.9	<0.001
	树种×叶类型 Tree species × Leaf	10	2.9	<0.01
淀粉 Starch	树种 Tree speices	10	4.3	<0.001
	叶类型 Leaf	1	21.0	<0.001
	树种×叶类型 Tree species × Leaf	10	2.0	0.061