Functional traits influence the growth and mortality of common woody plants in Dajinshan Island, Shanghai, China

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2022.0256

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Trait-based methods have provided a new viewpoint for predicting community dynamics. We use these approaches to reveal how functional traits influence the key demographic rates of plant species, thereby improving our understanding of community dynamics.

Methods We monitored the growth and mortality rates of 26 common woody plant species from Dajinshan Island, Shanghai, over a five-year period (2016-2021). Nine leaf and wood traits related to competition and utilization strategies for light, water and nutrient resources were measured. Then, the relationships between the relative growth and mortality rates and each of individual trait, as well as the multi-trait synthesized plant economics spectrum, were analyzed.

Important findings Our results showed that leaf area and leaf nitrogen content were significantly and positively correlated with the relative growth rate, while leaf thickness, twig wood density and leaf dry matter content were significantly and negatively correlated with the relative growth rate. Stem wood density and twig wood density were significantly negatively correlated with the relative mortality rate. The plant economics spectrum that is formulated by nine traits, could explain 32.8% variation in relative growth rate; however, it did not correlate with the relative mortality rate. The relative growth was higher for acquisitive species than that for conservative species. Our results suggest that plant functional traits are important in affecting their growth, and that plant economics spectrum can accurately predict variations in relative growth rates among species, but its predictions for relative mortality are weaker.

Key words: community dynamic monitoring, wood trait, ecological strategy, leaf trait, plant economic spectrum, resource competition

ZHANG Zeng-Ke, LI Zeng-Yan, YANG Bai-Yu, SAI Bi-Le, YANG An-Na, ZHANG Li, MOU Ling, ZHENG Jun-Yong, JIN Le-Wei, ZHAO Zhao, WANG Wan-Sheng, DU Yun-Cai, YAN En-Rong. Functional traits influence the growth and mortality of common woody plants in Dajinshan Island, Shanghai, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2023, 47(10): 1398-1406.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2022.0256

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2023/V47/I10/1398

Figures/Tables 4

References 36

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物种 Species	科 Family	2016年多度(株) Abundance in 2016 (individual)	2021年多度(株) Abundance in 2021 (individual)	生长率 Growth rate (a^?1)	死亡率 Mortality rate (a^?1)
天竺桂 Cinnamomum japonicum	樟科 Lauraceae	56	64	3.14	0.00
豆梨 Pyrus calleryana	蔷薇科 Rosaceae	10	9	2.14	2.09
白杜 Euonymus maackii	卫矛科 Celastraceae	16	16	1.93	0.00
小叶女贞 Ligustrum quihoui	木犀科 Oleaceae	87	84	4.61	0.70
柃木 Eurya japonica	山茶科 Pentaphylacaceae	148	142	4.34	0.82
楤木 Aralia elata	五加科 Araliaceae	21	20	5.67	0.97
白檀 Symplocos tanakana	山矾科 Symplocaceae	308	290	3.79	1.20
青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca	壳斗科 Fagaceae	256	237	4.34	1.53
桑 Morus alba	桑科 Moraceae	39	33	5.49	3.29
算盘子 Glochidion puberum	叶下珠科 Phyllanthaceae	16	13	2.99	4.07
小蜡 Ligustrum sinense	木犀科 Oleaceae	21	17	1.56	4.14
麻栎 Quercus acutissima	壳斗科 Fagaceae	28	22	2.91	4.71
椿叶花椒 Zanthoxylum ailanthoides	芸香科 Rutaceae	37	27	4.26	6.11
柘 Maclura tricuspidata	桑科 Moraceae	67	48	2.61	6.45
朴树 Celtis sinensis	榆科 Ulmaceae	60	41	2.57	7.33
红楠 Machilus thunbergii	樟科 Lauraceae	63	43	0.01	7.35
海桐 Pittosporum tobira	海桐花科 Pittosporaceae	11	7	1.44	8.64
黄连木 Pistacia chinensis	漆树科 Anacardiaceae	11	7	1.55	8.64
野桐 Mallotus tenuifolius	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	683	430	2.84	8.84
枸骨 IIex cornuta	冬青科 Aquifoliaceae	13	8	1.59	9.25
胡颓子 Elaeagnus pungens	胡颓子科 Elaeagnaceae	10	5	1.73	12.94
黄檀 Dalbergia hupeana	豆科 Fabaceae	45	21	7.92	14.14
楝 Melia azedarach	楝科 Meliaceae	11	5	5.18	14.59
盐肤木 Rhus chinensis	漆树科 Anacardiaceae	17	7	8.70	16.26
构树 Broussonetia papyrifera	桑科 Moraceae	42	13	4.01	20.91
海州常山 Clerodendrum trichotomum	马鞭草科 Lamiaceae	117	34	8.15	21.90

物种 Species	科 Family	2016年多度(株) Abundance in 2016 (individual)	2021年多度(株) Abundance in 2021 (individual)	生长率 Growth rate (a^?1)	死亡率 Mortality rate (a^?1)
天竺桂 Cinnamomum japonicum	樟科 Lauraceae	56	64	3.14	0.00
豆梨 Pyrus calleryana	蔷薇科 Rosaceae	10	9	2.14	2.09
白杜 Euonymus maackii	卫矛科 Celastraceae	16	16	1.93	0.00
小叶女贞 Ligustrum quihoui	木犀科 Oleaceae	87	84	4.61	0.70
柃木 Eurya japonica	山茶科 Pentaphylacaceae	148	142	4.34	0.82
楤木 Aralia elata	五加科 Araliaceae	21	20	5.67	0.97
白檀 Symplocos tanakana	山矾科 Symplocaceae	308	290	3.79	1.20
青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca	壳斗科 Fagaceae	256	237	4.34	1.53
桑 Morus alba	桑科 Moraceae	39	33	5.49	3.29
算盘子 Glochidion puberum	叶下珠科 Phyllanthaceae	16	13	2.99	4.07
小蜡 Ligustrum sinense	木犀科 Oleaceae	21	17	1.56	4.14
麻栎 Quercus acutissima	壳斗科 Fagaceae	28	22	2.91	4.71
椿叶花椒 Zanthoxylum ailanthoides	芸香科 Rutaceae	37	27	4.26	6.11
柘 Maclura tricuspidata	桑科 Moraceae	67	48	2.61	6.45
朴树 Celtis sinensis	榆科 Ulmaceae	60	41	2.57	7.33
红楠 Machilus thunbergii	樟科 Lauraceae	63	43	0.01	7.35
海桐 Pittosporum tobira	海桐花科 Pittosporaceae	11	7	1.44	8.64
黄连木 Pistacia chinensis	漆树科 Anacardiaceae	11	7	1.55	8.64
野桐 Mallotus tenuifolius	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	683	430	2.84	8.84
枸骨 IIex cornuta	冬青科 Aquifoliaceae	13	8	1.59	9.25
胡颓子 Elaeagnus pungens	胡颓子科 Elaeagnaceae	10	5	1.73	12.94
黄檀 Dalbergia hupeana	豆科 Fabaceae	45	21	7.92	14.14
楝 Melia azedarach	楝科 Meliaceae	11	5	5.18	14.59
盐肤木 Rhus chinensis	漆树科 Anacardiaceae	17	7	8.70	16.26
构树 Broussonetia papyrifera	桑科 Moraceae	42	13	4.01	20.91
海州常山 Clerodendrum trichotomum	马鞭草科 Lamiaceae	117	34	8.15	21.90

功能性状 Functional trait	简写 Abbreviation	单位 Unit	平均值 Mean	最大值 Max	最小值 Min	标准差 SD
干材密度 Wood density	WD	g·cm^-3	0.56	0.98	0.26	0.13
叶干物质含量 Leaf dry matter content	LDMC	%	0.33	0.50	0.17	0.08
比叶面积 Specific leaf area	SLA	cm²·g^-1	182.63	397.55	32.00	79.43
单叶面积 Mean leaf area	MLA	cm²	55.68	328.68	2.49	64.98
小枝木材密度 Twig wood density	TWD	g·cm^-3	0.51	1.19	0.11	0.19
最大树高 Maximum tree height	H	m	11.19	30.00	3.00	6.91
叶厚度 Leaf thickness	LT	mm	0.19	0.70	0.07	0.12
叶氮含量 Leaf nitrogen content	LNC	g·kg^-1	21.68	34.71	8.81	6.54
叶磷含量 Leaf phosphorus content	LPC	g·kg^-1	1.57	9.50	0.52	1.88

功能性状 Functional trait	简写 Abbreviation	单位 Unit	平均值 Mean	最大值 Max	最小值 Min	标准差 SD
干材密度 Wood density	WD	g·cm^-3	0.56	0.98	0.26	0.13
叶干物质含量 Leaf dry matter content	LDMC	%	0.33	0.50	0.17	0.08
比叶面积 Specific leaf area	SLA	cm²·g^-1	182.63	397.55	32.00	79.43
单叶面积 Mean leaf area	MLA	cm²	55.68	328.68	2.49	64.98
小枝木材密度 Twig wood density	TWD	g·cm^-3	0.51	1.19	0.11	0.19
最大树高 Maximum tree height	H	m	11.19	30.00	3.00	6.91
叶厚度 Leaf thickness	LT	mm	0.19	0.70	0.07	0.12
叶氮含量 Leaf nitrogen content	LNC	g·kg^-1	21.68	34.71	8.81	6.54
叶磷含量 Leaf phosphorus content	LPC	g·kg^-1	1.57	9.50	0.52	1.88

功能性状 Functional trait	相对生长率 Relative growth rate				相对死亡率 Relative mortality rate
功能性状 Functional trait	估计值 Estimate	R²	误差 Error	p	估计值 Estimate	R²	误差 Error	p
干材密度 Wood density	-0.25	0.06	0.16	0.12	-0.32	0.13	0.14	0.03
叶干物质含量 Leaf dry matter content	-0.48	0.23	0.14	0.02	-0.28	0.09	0.15	0.07
小枝木材密度 Twig wood density	-0.36	0.18	0.15	0.02	-0.35	0.14	0.14	0.01
比叶面积 Specific leaf area	0.46	0.27	0.15	0.00	0.10	0.01	0.15	0.52
单叶面积 Mean leaf area	0.28	0.07	0.17	0.11	0.22	0.06	0.15	0.14
叶厚度 Leaf thickness	-0.36	0.12	0.17	0.05	-0.01	0.00	0.15	0.98
最大树高 Maximum tree height	0.02	0.00	0.19	0.87	0.06	0.00	0.16	0.70
叶氮含量 Leaf nitrogen content	0.45	0.18	0.17	0.02	0.11	0.01	0.17	0.51
叶磷含量 Leaf phosphorus content	0.01	0.00	0.20	0.92	0.00	0.00	0.15	0.98