Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2022, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (6): 712-721.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2021.0421

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of growing position on leaflet trait variations and its correlations in Fraxinus mandshurica

WANG Guang-Ya1, CHEN Bing-Hua1(), HUANG Yu-Chen1, JIN Guang-Ze2, LIU Zhi-Li2,*()   

  1. 1School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
    2Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
  • Received:2021-11-18 Accepted:2022-01-17 Online:2022-06-20 Published:2022-06-09
  • Contact: LIU Zhi-Li
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31971636);Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2572022DS11);Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovations by Heilongjiang Province(202010225086)

Abstract:

Aims Compound-leaved plants commonly grow better than simple-leaved plants, but it is unknown about how leaflet growing position influences leaflet trait variations and its correlations in compound leaves. Our aim was to address this question with a model tree species Fraxinus mandshurica.

Methods Fraxinus mandshurica, a typical compound-leaved tree in northeastern China, was selected as a focal plant species. We measured leaflet thickness (LT), leaflet area (LA), leaflet dry matter content (LDMC), specific leaflet area (SLA), leaflet nitrogen content (LNC), and leaflet phosphorus content (LPC) across leaflet growing position in the compound leaves of F. mandshurica.We analyzed its leaflet trait variations with leaflet growing position and examined if leaflet growing position significantly affected leaflet traits using the least significant difference (LSD) method. Similarly, we analyzed the relationships among leaflet traits and examined if leaflet growing position significantly affected these relationships using the standardized major axis (SMA) method.

Important findings (1) LT, LA, LDMC and LNC decreased with leaflet growing position (from the tip to the base of a compound leaf), but SLA and LPC increased with leaflet growing position. LT and LA were significantly variable with leaflet growing position. (2) Within a compound leaf, there was an isometric relationship between SLA and LNC or between LDMC and LT. However, LA showed an allometric relationship with LT, SLA and LPC; LDMC show an allometric relationship with SLA, LNC and LPC; LPC showed an allometric relationship with LT. (3) Leaflet growing position had significant effects on the relationships of LA with LT, SLA, and LPC. The greatest slopes between LT and LA and between SLA and LA occurred at the third leaflet growing position (the middle of a compound leaf). The smallest values of absolute slopes between LT and LA and between LPC and LA appeared at the sixth leaflet growing position (the base of a compound leaf). The results suggest that leaflet traits in the compound leaves of F. mandshurica could change with leaflet growing position, and most of trait relationships might be allometric. To a certain extent, the growth relationships among leaflet traits could vary with leaflet growing position.

Key words: compound-leaved plant, allometry, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf thickness, leaf area, leaf nutrient content