Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology >
Research Articles
Vertical variation and economic strategy of leaf trait of major tree species in a typical mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest
Expand
- 1School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
2Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
3Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Received date: 2019-11-14
Accepted date: 2020-04-30
Online published: 2020-07-07
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China(31870399)
Abstract
Aims An analysis of the variations in leaf traits of different tree species contributes to the understanding of plant community structures.
Methods This study explored the effect of the light environment on leaf traits at different canopy heights in a typical mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest. We measured the leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf thickness (LT), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), chlorophyll content (CCI), leaf carbon content (C), mass-based and area-based nitrogen content (Nmass and Narea), and mass-based and area-based phosphorus content (Pmass and Parea) for 15 broad-leaved tree species in this forest.
Important findings We found that the LMA of Fraxinus mandschurica and Populus ussuriensis in the upper canopy were significantly higher than that in the lower canopy, but no significant vertical changes were detected in other species within the canopy. The CCI of Betula platyphylla increased from the lower to upper canopy. In contrast, the CCI of Ulmus japonica in the upper canopy was significantly higher than that in the middle canopy. The Nmass of Fraxinus mandschurica in the middle canopy was significantly higher than that in the upper canopy. These results indicated that the variations in leaf traits within the canopy were different among species. The LMA was positively correlated with the LT and LDMC in all three canopies, but the correlations of other trait combinations were only significant in one or two canopies. The results suggest that the leaves of Populus davidiana and Populus ussuriensis tend to adopt survival strategies involving lower photosynthetic ability, nutrient concentrations, and respiratory rates, while the leaves of Phellodendron amurense and Maackia amurensis tend to be located at the other end of the economics spectrum with contrasting trait values. Differences in species response to light may alter leaf morphological and chemical traits in canopy layers, and hence contribute to community assembly and species coexistence.
Cite this article
XUN Yan-Han, DI Xue-Ying, JIN Guang-Ze . Vertical variation and economic strategy of leaf trait of major tree species in a typical mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest[J]. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 2020 , 44(7) : 730 -741 . DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2019.0307
References
| [1] | Ackerly D (1999). Self-shading, carbon gain and leaf dynamics: a test of alternative optimality models. Oecologia, 119, 300-310. |
| [2] | Al Afas N, Marron N, Ceulemans R (2007). Variability in Populus leaf anatomy and morphology in relation to canopy position, biomass production, and varietal taxon. Annals of Forest Science, 64, 521-532. |
| [3] | Aleric KM, Kirkman LK (2005). Growth and photosynthetic responses of the federally endangered shrub,Lindera melissifolia(Lauraceae), to varied light environments. American Journal of Botany, 92, 682-689. |
| [4] | Asner GP, Knapp DE, Anderson CB, Martin RE, Vaughn N (2016). Large-scale climatic and geophysical controls on the leaf economics spectrum. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113, 4043-4051. |
| [5] | Cate TM, Perkins TD (2003). Chlorophyll content monitoring in sugar maple (Acer saccharum). Tree Physiology, 23, 1077-1079. |
| [6] | Chen YZ, Murchie EH, Hubbart S, Horton P, Peng SB (2003). Effects of season-dependent irradiance levels and nitrogen-deficiency on photosynthesis and photoinhibition in field-grown rice (Oryza sativa). Physiologia Plantarum, 117, 343-351. |
| [7] | Cheng XB, Wu J, Han SJ, Zhou YM, Wang XX, Wang CG, Zhao J, Hu QH (2012). Photosynthesis, leaf morphology and chemistry of Pinus koraiensis and Quercus mongolica in broadleaved Korean pine mixed forest. Photosynthetica, 50, 56-66. |
| [8] | Cianciaruso MV, Silva IA, Manica LT, Souza JP (2013). Leaf habit does not predict leaf functional traits in cerrado woody species. Basic and Applied Ecology, 14, 404-412. |
| [9] | Coble AP, Cavaleri MA (2015). Light acclimation optimizes leaf functional traits despite height-related constraints in a canopy shading experiment. Oecologia, 177, 1131-1143. |
| [10] | Cornelissen JHC, Lavorel S, Garnier E, Díaz S, Buchmann N, Gurvich DE, Reich PB, ter Steege H, Morgan HD, van der Heijden MGA, Pausas JG, Poorter H (2003). A handbook of protocols for standardised and easy measurement of plant functional traits worldwide. Australian Journal of Botany, 51, 335-380. |
| [11] | Díaz S, Kattge J, Cornelissen JHC, Wright IJ, Lavorel S, Dray S, Reu B, Kleyer M, Wirth C, Colin Prentice I, Garnier E, B?nisch G, Westoby M, Poorter H, Reich PB, Moles AT, Dickie J, Gillison AN, Zanne AE, Chave J, Joseph Wright S, Sheremet?ev SN, Jactel H, Baraloto C, Cerabolini B, Pierce S, Shipley B, Kirkup D, Casanoves F, Joswig JS, Günther A, Falczuk V, Rüger N, Mahecha MD, Gorné LD (2016). The global spectrum of plant form and function. Nature, 529, 167-171. |
| [12] | Duursma RA, Marshall JD (2006). Vertical canopy gradients in δ 13C correspond with leaf nitrogen content in a mixed- species conifer forest. Trees, 20, 496-506. |
| [13] | Ellsworth DS, Reich PB (1993). Canopy structure and vertical patterns of photosynthesis and related leaf traits in a deciduous forest. Oecologia, 96, 169-178. |
| [14] | Evans JR (1989). Photosynthesis and nitrogen relationships in leaves of C3 plants. Oecologia, 78, 9-19. |
| [15] | Flores O, Garnier E, Wright IJ, Reich PB, Pierce S, Dìaz S, Pakeman RJ, Rusch GM, Bernard-Verdier M, Testi B, Bakker JP, Bekker RM, Cerabolini BEL, Ceriani RM, Cornu G, Cruz P, Delcamp M, Dolezal J, Eriksson O, Fayolle A, Freitas H, Golodets C, Gourlet-Fleury S, Hodgson JG, Brusa G, Kleyer M, Kunzmann D, Lavorel S, Papanastasis VP, Pérez-Harguindeguy N, Vendramini F, Weiher E (2014). An evolutionary perspective on leaf economics: phylogenetics of leaf mass per area in vascular plants. Ecology and Evolution, 4, 2799-2811. |
| [16] | Gábor?ík N (2003). Relationship between contents of chlorophyll (a+b)(SPAD values) and nitrogen of some temperate grasses. Photosynthetica, 41, 285-287. |
| [17] | Garnier E, Shipley B, Roumet C, Laurent G (2001). A standardized protocol for the determination of specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content. Functional Ecology, 15, 688-695. |
| [18] | Green DS, Kruger EL (2001). Light-mediated constraints on leaf function correlate with leaf structure among deciduous and evergreen tree species. Tree Physiology, 21, 1341-1346. |
| [19] | Hallik L, Niinemets ü, Kull O (2012). Photosynthetic acclimation to light in woody and herbaceous species: a comparison of leaf structure, pigment content and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics measured in the field. Plant Biology, 14, 88-99. |
| [20] | Hikosaka K, Shigeno A (2009). The role of Rubisco and cell walls in the interspecific variation in photosynthetic capacity. Oecologia, 160, 443-451. |
| [21] | Joffre R, Rambal S, Damesin C (2007). Functional attributes in Mediterranean-type ecosystems//Pugnaire F, Valladares F. Functional Plant Ecology. CRC Press, New York. 285-312. |
| [22] | Kazakou E, Vile D, Shipley B, Gallet C, Garnier E (2006). Co-variations in litter decomposition, leaf traits and plant growth in species from a Mediterranean old-field succession. Functional Ecology, 20, 21-30. |
| [23] | Keenan TF, Niinemets ü (2017). Global leaf trait estimates biased due to plasticity in the shade. Nature Plants, 3, 16201. DOI: 10.1038/nplants.2016.201. |
| [24] | Kitao M, Lei TT, Koike T, Tobita H, Maruyama Y (2000). Susceptibility to photoinhibition of three deciduous broadleaf tree species with different successional traits raised under various light regimes. Plant, Cell & Environment, 23, 81-89. |
| [25] | Koike T, Kitao M, Maruyama Y, Mori S, Lei TT (2001). Leaf morphology and photosynthetic adjustments among deciduous broad-leaved trees within the vertical canopy profile. Tree Physiology, 21, 951-958. |
| [26] | Legner N, Fleck S, Leuschner C (2014). Within-canopy variation in photosynthetic capacity, SLA and foliar N in temperate broad-leaved trees with contrasting shade tolerance. Trees, 28, 263-280. |
| [27] | Lemoine NP, Burkepile DE, Parker JD (2016). Quantifying differences between native and introduced species. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 31, 372-381. |
| [28] | Liu Z, Wang C, Chen JM, Wang X, Jin G (2015). Empirical models for tracing seasonal changes in leaf area index in deciduous broadleaf forests by digital hemispherical photography. Forest Ecology & Management, 351, 67-77. |
| [29] | Messier J, McGill BJ, Enquist BJ, Lechowicz MJ (2017). Trait variation and integration across scales: Is the leaf economic spectrum present at local scales? Ecography, 40, 685-697. |
| [30] | Niinemets ü (2001). Global-scale climatic controls of leaf dry mass per area, density, and thickness in trees and shrubs. Ecology, 82, 453-469. |
| [31] | Niinemets ü (2007). Photosynthesis and resource distribution through plant canopies. Plant, Cell & Environment, 30, 1052-1071. |
| [32] | Niinemets ü, Anten NPR (2009). Packing the photosynthesis machinery: from leaf to canopy//Laisk A, Nedbal L, Govindjee. Photosynthesis in Silico. Springer, Berlin. 363-399. |
| [33] | Niinemets ü, Bilger W, Kull O, Tenhunen JD (1998). Acclimation to high irradiance in temperate deciduous trees in the field: changes in xanthophyll cycle pool size and in photosynthetic capacity along a canopy light gradient. Plant, Cell & Environment, 21, 1205-1218. |
| [34] | Niinemets ü, Keenan TF, Hallik L (2015). A worldwide analysis of within-canopy variations in leaf structural, chemical and physiological traits across plant functional types. New Phytologist, 205, 973-993. |
| [35] | Osnas JLD, Lichstein JW, Reich PB, Pacala SW (2013). Global leaf trait relationships: mass, area, and the leaf economics spectrum. Science, 340, 741-744. |
| [36] | Ozanne CMP, Anhuf D, Boulter SL, Keller M, Kitching RL, K?rner C, Meinzer FC, Mitchell AW, Nakashizuka T, Silva Dias PL, Stork NE, Wright SJ, Yoshimura M (2003). Biodiversity meets the atmosphere: a global view of forest canopies. Science, 301, 183-186. |
| [37] | Pierce S, Brusa G, Sartori M, Cerabolini BEL (2012). Combined use of leaf size and economics traits allows direct comparison of hydrophyte and terrestrial herbaceous adaptive strategies. Annals of Botany, 109, 1047-1053. |
| [38] | Pons TL, Anten NPR (2004). Is plasticity in partitioning of photosynthetic resources between and within leaves important for whole-plant carbon gain in canopies? Functional Ecology, 18, 802-811. |
| [39] | Poorter H, Niinemets ü, Poorter L, Wright IJ, Villar R (2009). Causes and consequences of variation in leaf mass per area (LMA): a meta-analysis. New Phytologist, 182, 565-588. |
| [40] | Rajsnerová P, Klem K, Holub P, Novotná K, Ve?e?ová K, Kozá?iková M, Rivas-Ubach A, Sardans J, Marek MV, Pe?uelas J, Urban O (2015). Morphological, biochemical and physiological traits of upper and lower canopy leaves of European beech tend to converge with increasing altitude. Tree Physiology, 35, 47-60. |
| [41] | Read QD, Moorhead LC, Swenson NG, Bailey JK, Sanders NJ (2014). Convergent effects of elevation on functional leaf traits within and among species. Functional Ecology, 28, 37-45. |
| [42] | Reich PB (2014). The world-wide “fast-slow” plant economics spectrum: a traits manifesto. Journal of Ecology, 102, 275-301. |
| [43] | Reich PB, Walters MB, Ellsworth DS (1997). From tropics to tundra: global convergence in plant functioning. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 94, 13730-13734. |
| [44] | Reich PB, Wright IJ, Cavender-Bares J, Craine JM, Oleksyn J, Westoby M, Walters MB (2003). The evolution of plant functional variation: traits, spectra, and strategies. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 164, S143-S164. |
| [45] | Sanches MC, Ribeiro SP, Dalvi VC, da Silva Junior MB, de Sousa HC, de Lemos-Filho JP (2010). Differential leaf traits of a neotropical tree Cariniana legalis(Mart.) Kuntze (Lecythidaceae): comparing saplings and emergent trees. Trees, 24, 79-88. |
| [46] | Saura-Mas S, Shipley B, Lloret F (2009). Relationship between post-fire regeneration and leaf economics spectrum in Mediterranean woody species. Functional Ecology, 23, 103-110. |
| [47] | Sims DA, Pearcy RW (1992). Response of leaf anatomy and photosynthetic capacity in Alocasia macrorrhiza(Araceae) to a transfer from low to high light. American Journal of Botany, 79, 449-455. |
| [48] | Vierling LA, Wessman CA (2000). Photosynthetically active radiation heterogeneity within a monodominant Congolese rain forest canopy. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 103, 265-278. |
| [49] | Violle C, Navas ML, Vile D, Kazakou E, Fortunel C, Hummel I, Garnier E (2007). Let the concept of trait be functional! Oikos, 116, 882-892. |
| [50] | Wilson PJ, Thompson K, Hodgson JG (1999). Specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content as alternative predictors of plant strategies. New Phytologist, 143, 155-162. |
| [51] | Wright IJ, Reich PB, Westoby M, Ackerly DD, Baruch Z, Bongers F, Cavender-Bares J, Chapin T, Cornelissen JHC, Diemer M, Flexas J, Garnier E, Groom PK, Gulias J, Hikosaka K, Lamont BB, Lee T, Lee W, Lusk C, Midgley JJ, Navas ML, Niinemets ü, Oleksyn J, Osada N, Poorter H, Poot P, Prior L, Pyankov VI, Roumet C, Thomas SC, Tjoelker MG, Veneklaas EJ, Villar R (2004). The worldwide leaf economics spectrum. Nature, 428, 821-827. |
| [52] | Wyka TP, Oleksyn J, ?ytkowiak R, Karolewski P, Jagodziński AM, Reich PB (2012). Responses of leaf structure and photosynthetic properties to intra-canopy light gradients: a common garden test with four broadleaf deciduous angiosperm and seven evergreen conifer tree species. Oecologia, 170, 11-24. |
| [53] | Zirbel CR, Bassett T, Grman E, Brudvig LA (2017). Plant functional traits and environmental conditions shape community assembly and ecosystem functioning during restoration. Journal of Applied Ecology, 54, 1070-1079. |
| [54] | Zukswert JM, Prescott CE (2017). Relationships among leaf functional traits, litter traits, and mass loss during early phases of leaf litter decomposition in 12 woody plant species. Oecologia, 185, 305-316. |
Options