Effects of simulated warming and precipitation change on seedling emergence and growth of Quercus mongolica in Dongling Mountain, Beijing, China

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2012.00819

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Temperature and water supply are crucial drivers for plant seedling regeneration. Dongling Mountain is one of the temperate areas most sensitive to climate change in China, and Quercus mongolica is the dominant species. Our objective was to investigate how climate change (warming and precipitation change) affects the physiological and ecological processes of seeds and seedlings of Q. mongolica to determine the regeneration mechanisms and change in patterns of this key species.
Methods We used a controlled, growth-chamber experiment for rising temperature and changing water supply. There were three levels for both temperature and water supply: monthly mean temperature (control) over past the 18 years and increased by 2 °C and 6 °C and monthly mean precipitation (control) and +30% and -30%. Seeds of Q. mongolica were collected in fall of 2010, planted in May 2011, and grown in pots under the treatments. We periodically measured traits of seedling emergence and growth during the first growing season.
Important findings Seedling emergence percentage was affected by precipitation and its interaction with temperature, while seedling growth and biomass were affected by temperature and precipitation alone, rather than by their interaction. Increased temperature by 2 °C and water addition shortened the seedling emergence time; increased temperature by 6 °C combined with reduction of water increased seed mortality and reduced seedling emergence percentage, yet with water addition promoted seedling dynamics. Increased temperature by 2 °C had no significant effects on seedling growth, while increased by 6 °C significantly increased the specific leaf area, restricted the seedling growth and biomass, and reduced the ratio of root and shoot. In addition, water reduction reduced only root biomass but not shoot, total biomass and root:shoot. Water addition significantly promoted growth of leaf length, increased leaf numbers and increased aboveground biomass, especially leaf biomass. Therefore, proper temperature elevation or water addition may benefit the potential regeneration ability of Q. mongolica, but highly elevated temperature with reduced precipitation may be deleterious under future climate change.

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Key words: climate change, Dongling Mountain, regeneration, seedling, seed

DONG Li-Jia, SANG Wei-Guo. Effects of simulated warming and precipitation change on seedling emergence and growth of Quercus mongolica in Dongling Mountain, Beijing, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2012, 36(8): 819-830.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2012.00819

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2012/V36/I8/819

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Changes of mean air temperature and precipitation of spring and summer in Dongling Mountain area in 1955-2010.

Table 1 Temperature setting of growth chamber and precipitation setting in experiment

时间 Time	平均月昼/夜气温 Mean monthly air temperature of day/night (°C)			平均月降水量 Mean monthly precipitation (mm)			降水频次 Frequency of precipitation
时间 Time	T₀	T₁	T₂	W	W-	W+	降水频次 Frequency of precipitation
5月 May	20.5/9.5	22.5/11.5	26.5/15.5	54.7	38.3	71.1	6
6月 June	22.8/13.0	24.8/15.0	28.8/19.0	95.9	67.1	124.7	6
7月 July	24.0/15.9	26.0/17.9	30.0/21.9	150.9	105.6	196.2	6
8月 August	21.9/14.7	23.9/16.7	27.9/20.7	111.0	77.7	144.3	6

Fig. 2 Dynamic of seedling emergence after two weeks of sowing in a combination of warming and altered precipitation (mean ± SE). T0, T1, T2, W, W- and W+ see Table 1.

Fig. 3 Seedling emergence percentage, non-emergence percentage and seed mortality of Quercus mongolica (mean ± SE). Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference between elevated air temperature and mean air temperature within same water treatment (p < 0.05); Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between precipitation change and average precipitation at same temperature level (p < 0.05). T0, T1, T2, W, W- and W+ see Table 1.

Table 2 F value and probability levels for independent variables in two-way ANOVA

自变量 Independent variable	变异来源(自由度) Variance source (df)		响应变量的F值 (概率水平) F value and probability levels of response variable
自变量 Independent variable	变异来源(自由度) Variance source (df)	H	RL	LN	LL	SLA	LB
T	2	1.32	0.89	0.44	2.82	6.21^**	3.82^*
W	2	0.27	1.53	2.97	7.93^**	7.23^**	5.17^*
T × W	4	0.33	0.26	0.59	1.47	1.86	0.58
		STB	RB	SB	TB	RSR
T	2	5.71^**	9.46^**	5.29^*	8.17^**	12.21^**
W	2	2.07	3.50^*	5.16^*	4.51^*	3.07
T × W	4	1.22	0.33	0.73	057	0.89

Fig. 4 Effects of elevated temperature and precipitation treatment on seedling morphological characteristics of Quercus mongolica (mean ± SE). LL, longest leaf length; LN, leaf number; SLA, specific leaf area. Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference between elevated temperature and mean temperature within same water treatment (p < 0.05); Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between precipitation change and average precipitation at same temperature level (p < 0.05). T0, T1, T2, W, W- and W+ see Table 1.

Fig. 5 Effects of elevated temperature and precipitation treatment on seedling biomass of Quercus mongolica (mean ± SE). LB, leaf biomass; RB, root biomass; R/S, root:shoot; SB, shoot biomass; STB, stem biomass; TB, total biomass. Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference between elevated temperature and mean temperature within same water treatment (p < 0.05); Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between precipitation change and average precipitation at same temperature level (p < 0.05). T0, T1, T2, W, W- and W+ see Table 1.

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