Welcome to visit Scientia Silvae Sinicae,Today is

Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2023, Vol. 59 ›› Issue (7): 1-11.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.LYKX20220867

• Frontier & focus: Functional traits of woody plants • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Seasonal Variation and Environmental Control of Leaf Resource Use Efficiencies of an Understory Shrub, Rhamnus parvifolia in Pinus tabuliformis Forest in Miyun, Beijing

Hongxian Zhao1,2(),Tong Su3,Ruifu Wang3,Yanli Sun4,Yonglong Gao4,Jichao Wei5,Xinhao Li1,2,Yun Tian1,2,Xin Jia1,2,Tianshan Zha1,2,*()   

  1. 1. School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University Beijing 100083
    2. State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources Beijing 100083
    3. Forestation Management Center of Huairou District Beijing 101499
    4. The Beijing Center for Forest Resource Planning and Monitoring Beijing 100193
    5. Beijing Lülin Shengyuan Greening Engineering Co., Ltd. Beijing 102400
  • Received:2023-02-24 Online:2023-07-25 Published:2023-09-08
  • Contact: Tianshan Zha E-mail:hongxianzhao123@163.com;tianshanzha@bjfu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Objective: This study aims to clarify the trade-offs between light, nitrogen and water use efficiency (RUEs) in the leaves of the understorey shrub Rhamnus parvifoliaand their environmental regulation mechanisms. Method: We analyzed the seasonal dynamics of intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and light use efficiency (LUE) as well as the trade-offs among RUEs of a dominant understory shrub, R. parvifolia, leaves through season-long in-situ measurements of the light response curve and leaf functional traits along with simultaneous environmental measurements from June to October, 2021 in Miyun, Beijing, China. Result: 1) The result showed that the maximum WUEi, NUE, and LUE in growing season fluctuated with values of 107.3 μmol·mol?1, 18.35 μmol·g?1s?1, and 0.087 mol·mol?1, respectively, with coefficient of variation (CV) being 24.91%, 39.12%, and 12.6%. 2) In the middle of the growing season, under the wet condition with relative extractable soil water (REW) greater than 0.4, there were higher NUE and lower WUEi. The NUE had opposite trend to WUEi (P < 0.05) and varied synergistically with LUE ( P < 0.05). 3) The WUE i was positively correlated with leaf mass per unit area (LMA) (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with transpiration rate (Tr, P < 0.05), while NUE was negatively correlated with LMA and leaf thickness (LT, P < 0.05) and positively correlated with Tr ( P < 0.05). Increases in air temperature ( Ta), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and diffuse radiation (Rdif) all contributed to increased LUE (P < 0.05). Conclusion: It has been found that WUEi and NUE are decoupled from soil water content and closely relate to LMA and Tr in wet period and limited light. Increasing radiation and Ta promotes the light utilization efficiency of leaf, and diffuse radiation raises the photosynthetic capacity of leaf. There is a trade-off between RUEs. The NUE and WUEi can not simultaneously maximize in the growing season, but under wet condition and low light, NUE and LUE change in the same direction, both fluctuating in the middle of the growing season and gradually decrease at the end of the growing season. The results of this study are important additions to the in-depth understanding of the adaptation strategies of temperate plant communities under climate change.

Key words: leaf functional trait, resource use efficiency, light response curve, understory shrub, Rhamnus parvifolia

CLC Number: