Response of xylem hydraulic conductivity and leaf photosynthetic capacity of sand-binding shrubs Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana to soil water

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2022.0317

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Water is the main limiting factor for revegetation and ecorestrotion in arid sandy areas. Soil available water content directly affects the xylem water transport capacity of plant. However, the differences in xylem hydraulic traits and leaf gas exchange of different shrub species with different ages under varied soil water content are still unclear.

Methods The 10-year-old and 30-year-old Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana in the sand-binding area were employed to explore the differences and relationships between their hydraulic traits and photosynthetic traits during the dry and rainy season.

Important findings The results showed that the shrub age has no significant effect on xylem hydraulic conductivity, degree of natural embolism, leaf water potential and relative water content of C. korshinskii and C. liouana, while soil water content significantly effects on these functional traits. Both shrub age and soil water content have significant effects on leaf photosynthesis of two shrub species, but the effect of shrub age on them is little significant during the rainy season. In addition, there was a significant positive linear relationship between soil water content with leaf water content and xylem-stem specific hydraulic conductivity. Xylem hydraulic conductivity also had a significant positive correlation with leaf water content and stomatal conductance, whereas net photosynthetic rate was also positive related to xylem hydraulic conductivity and leaf water content. Results indicated that soil water content directly affected leaf water status and the capacity of photosynthetic carbon assimilation by affecting xylem hydraulic conductivity and embolization degree. In conclusion, the change of soil water content significantly affected the xylem hydraulic conductivity and leaf photosynthetic carbon assimilation capacity of C. caraganaand C. Liouana.

Key words: sand-binding shrub, xylem hydraulic conductivity, photosynthetic traits, water effect size, arid areas

ZHANG Zhi-Shan, HAN Gao-Ling, HUO Jian-Qiang, HUANG Ri-Hui, XUE Shu-Wen. Response of xylem hydraulic conductivity and leaf photosynthetic capacity of sand-binding shrubs Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana to soil water[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2023, 47(10): 1422-1431.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2022.0317

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2023/V47/I10/1422

Figures/Tables 7

Table 1 Basic information on Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana selected for the experiment (mean ± SE)

物种 Species	年龄 Ages (a)	编号 No.	株高 Height (m)	冠幅 Crown (m)	叶面积指数 Leaf area index
中间锦鸡儿 C. intermedia	10	Ci-10	1.356 ± 0.103^b	1.195 ± 0.055^ab	0.954 ± 0.153^a
中间锦鸡儿 C. intermedia	30	Ci-30	2.103 ± 0.214^a	1.893 ± 0.308^a	1.632 ± 0.257^a
柠条锦鸡儿 C. korshinskii	10	Ck-10	1.386 ± 0.091^b	1.020 ± 0.048^b	1.130 ± 0.127^a
柠条锦鸡儿 C. korshinskii	30	Ck-30	1.656 ± 0.046^ab	1.792 ± 0.125^a	1.792 ± 0.342^a

Fig. 1 Precipitation and soil water content in the sample plot. The values are all mean ± SE after the weighting average of the 0-3 m soil layer in B and C, different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between different ages and different species (p < 0.05), and asterisks (*) indicates significant differences between dry and rainy seasons (p < 0.05). Ci-10, Ci-30, Ck-10, Ck-30 see Table 1.

Fig. 2 Xylem stem specific hydraulic conductivity (A) and the percent loss of xylem hydraulic conductivity (B) of Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana at different ages (mean ± SE). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between different ages and different species (p < 0.05), and asterisks (*) indicates significant differences between dry and rainy seasons (p < 0.05). Ci-10, Ci-30, Ck-10, Ck-30 see Table 1.

Fig. 3 Relative water content (A), water potential at predawn and midday (B, C) and the difference of water potential (D) in leaves of Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana at different ages (mean ± SE). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between different ages and different species (p < 0.05), and asterisks (*) indicates significant differences between dry and rainy seasons (p < 0.05). Ci-10, Ci-30, Ck-10, Ck-30 see Table 1.

Fig. 4 Leaf gas exchange parameters of Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana at different ages (mean ± SE). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between different ages and different species (p < 0.05), and asterisks (*) indicates significant differences between dry and rainy seasons (p < 0.05). Ci-10, Ci-30, Ck-10, Ck-30 see Table 1.

Fig. 5 Effect size (ln RR) of Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana at different ages (mean ± SE). Effect size greater than zero showed rainy season has a greater effect on functional traits, and smaller than zero showed the effect of dry senson is greater. Among them, since the values of the water potential at predawn and midday (Ψpd and Ψmd) are negative, the absolute value is used for calculation. So the effect size of Ψpd and Ψmd < 0 indicates that rainy season has a greater impact on the water potential. Asterisks (*) indicates that the effect size is significantly different from 0. ?Ψ, daily water potential difference (Ψpd - Ψmd); Ψpd, predawn water potential; Ψmd, midday water potential; gs, stomatal conductance; Ks, xylem specific hydraulic conductivity; Pn, net photosynthetic rate; PLC, the percent loss of hydraulic conductivity; RWC, relative water content; Tr, transpiration rate; WUE, water use efficiency. Ci-10, Ci-30, Ck-10, Ck-30 see Table 1.

Fig. 6 Correlation analysis (A) and linear regression analysis (B-E) among different functional traits of Caragana korshinskii and C. liouana. The unconnected functional traits in A indicate that there is no significant correlation between them. The values are all mean ± SE, and the coefficients of determination (R2) and significance levels (p) of linear regression are shown in B-E. The shades of grey represent 90% confidence intervals. ?Ψ, daily water potential difference (Ψpd - Ψmd); Ψpd, predawn water potential; Ψmd, midday water potential; gs, stomatal conductance; Ks, xylem specific hydraulic conductivity; Pn, net photosynthetic rate; PLC, the percent loss of hydraulic conductivity; RWC, relative water content; SWC, soil water content; Tr, transpiration rate; WUE, water use efficiency. Ci-10, Ci-30, Ck-10, Ck-30 see Table 1.

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