Study on plant water use in Myricaria squamosa with stable hydrogen isotope tracer in Qinghai Lake basin

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2013.00112

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Little study has been conducted to quantify plant water sources for Myricaria squamosa, which is a dominant alpine riparian shrub in the Qinghai Lake basin and plays a key role in maintaining riverine wetland system. The objective of this study was to quantify water sources for M. squamosa growing under different hydrological conditions.
Methods We collected the water samples from the xylem of M. squamosa, groundwater, river, and soils in the Qinghai Lake basin from June through September, and analyzed the seasonal variation of hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD) in the xylem and potential water sources using stable hydrogen isotope tracer method. We then compared the differences in water sources for M. squamosa growing under two contrasting hydrological conditions.
Important findings Myricaria squamosa plants growing on the river bank mainly used groundwater and water from the river stream in June and July, with groundwater contributing up to 89% of water use in June and 55% in July and river stream contributing up to 86% in June and 65% in July, respectively; whilst in August, they used water mainly from the 0-20 cm soil layer; the water source in September was identifiable. In contrast, Myricaria squamosa plants growing approximately about 100 m away from the river bank mainly accessed the groundwater and river water in June (91% and 70%, respectively), and used water from the 0-60 cm soil layer during the rainy months July, August and September. Results suggest that M. squamosa plants on the river bank use mainly groundwater and river water; soil water was more important for those far away from the river bank. These are resulted from the responses of this shrub species to specific water conditions when growing under contrasting water regimes.

Key words: deuterium isotope, Myricaria squamosa, plant water use, Qinghai Lake basin, riparian shrub

ZHAO Guo-Qin, LI Xiao-Yan, WU Hua-Wu, ZHANG Si-Yi, LI Guang-Yong. Study on plant water use in Myricaria squamosa with stable hydrogen isotope tracer in Qinghai Lake basin[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2013, 37(12): 1091-1100.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2013.00112

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2013/V37/I12/1091

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1 The experimental site locations. A, on river bank; B, about 100 m away from river bank; C, automatic meteorological station installed 150-200 m away from A and B.

Fig. 2 Distribution of precipitation at the experimental site.

Fig. 3 Distribution of root density along soil profile in Myricaria squamosa. A, on river bank; B, about 100 m away from river bank.

Fig. 4 Seasonal variation of soil water content (mean ± SD). A, On river bank. B, About 100 m away from river bank.

Table 1 Seasonal variation of hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD) in soil water along soil profile (mean ± SD)

土壤层 Soil layer (cm)	δD (VSMOW, ‰)
	河岸边 On river bank					距离河岸约100 m About 100 m away from river bank
		日期 Date (month/day)					日期 Date (month/day)
		6/10	7/22	8/25	9/17		6/10	7/22	8/25	9/17
0-10	-32.81 ± 2.49^a	-66.37 ± 2.95^a	-58.14 ± 3.35^a	-26.51 ± 1.11^a		-36.75 ± 2.28^a	-76.34 ± 2.26^a	-80.08 ± 1.73^a	-60.42 ± 2.33^a
10-20	-47.06 ± 1.05^b	-29.16 ± 1.03^b	-62.49 ± 2.28^b	-32.25 ± 2.77^b		-48.92 ± 2.19^b	-27.48 ± 1.71^b	-80.85 ± 3.83^a	-62.30 ± 2.42^a
20-30	-41.99 ± 3.18^c	-31.88 ± 0.88^b	-55.60 ± 0.47^a	-47.77 ± 0.29^c		-49.20 ± 2.16^b	-37.81 ± 3.86^c	-76.99 ± 0.58^a	-62.07 ± 2.39^a
30-40	-42.37 ± 0.40^c	-35.38 ± 0.16^c	-55.05 ± 1.50^a	-45.33 ± 0.57^c		-50.68 ± 2.45^b	-46.71 ± 0.40^d	-74.49 ± 3.46^a	-64.65 ± 2.57^a
40-50	-42.02 ± 1.29^c	-	-53.79 ± 1.10^a	-45.75 ± 0.45^c		-44.26 ± 1.71^c	-46.08 ± 1.77^d	-61.61 ± 2.89^b	-55.47 ± 2.01^b
50-60	-42.23 ± 1.51^c	-	-52.84 ± 1.69^c	-		-47.93 ± 2.43^bc	-43.89 ± 0.94^d	-55.99 ± 2.72^bc	-49.83 ± 3.87^c
60-70	-44.04 ± 2.40^c	-	-	-		-48.89 ± 1.70^b	-45.63 ± 2.56^d	-50.86 ± 2.28^bc	-46.40 ± 1.85^cd
70-80	-	-	-	-		-43.43 ± 1.65^c	-42.83 ± 2.49^cd	-47.52 ± 2.68^c	-44.44 ± 0.73^cd
80-90	-	-	-	-		-43.28 ± 1.82^c	-	-51.63 ± 2.18^bc	-44.61 ± 2.70^cd
90-100	-	-	-	-		-44.39 ± 1.88^c	-	-	-42.98 ± 2.48^d

Fig. 5 Seasonal variation of hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD) in groundwater and river water (mean ± SD). AG, groundwater on river bank; BG, groundwater about 100 m away from river bank; R, river water. VSMOW, Vienna standard mean ocean water.

Fig. 6 Seasonal variation of hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD) in stem (xylem) water (mean ± SD) A, on river bank; B, about 100 m away from river bank. VSMOW, Vienna standard mean ocean water.

Fig. 7 Seasonal variations of water sources in Myricaria squamosa. A, On river bank. B, About 100 m away from river bank. (a), June. (b), July. (c), August. (d), September. The shaded area represents the layer with maximum root density. VSMOW, Vienna standard mean ocean water.

Fig. 8 Seasonal variations of the relative contributions from potential water sources to water use in Myricaria squamosa. A, On river bank. B, About 100 m away from river bank. (a), June. (b), July. (c), August. (d), September. GW, groundwater; RW, river water. VSMOW, Vienna standard mean ocean water.

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