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Gao Y, Tariq A, Zeng F, Sardans J, Graciano C, Li X, Wang W, Peñuelas J. Soil microbial functional profiles of P-cycling reveal drought-induced constraints on P-transformation in a hyper-arid desert ecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 925:171767. [PMID: 38499102 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Soil water conditions are known to influence soil nutrient availability, but the specific impact of different conditions on soil phosphorus (P) availability through the modulation of P-cycling functional microbial communities in hyper-arid desert ecosystems remains largely unexplored. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a 3-year pot experiment using a typical desert plant species (Alhagi sparsifolia Shap.) subjected to two water supply levels (25 %-35 % and 65 %-75 % of maximum field capacity, MFC) and four P-supply levels (0, 1, 3, and 5 g P m-2 y-1). Our investigation focused on the soil Hedley-P pool and the four major microbial groups involved in the critical phases of soil microbial P-cycling. The results revealed that the drought (25 %-35 % MFC) and no P-supply treatments reduced soil resin-P and NaHCO3-Pi concentrations by 87.03 % and 93.22 %, respectively, compared to the well-watered (65 %-75 % MFC) and high P-supply (5 g P m-2 y-1) treatments. However, the P-supply treatment resulted in a 12 %-22 % decrease in the soil NH4+-N concentration preferred by microbes compared to the no P-supply treatment. Moreover, the abundance of genes engaged in microbial P-cycling (e.g. gcd and phoD) increased under the drought and no P-supply treatments (p < 0.05), suggesting that increased NH4+-N accumulation under these conditions may stimulate P-solubilizing microbes, thereby promoting the microbial community's investment in resources to enhance the P-cycling potential. Furthermore, the communities of Steroidobacter cummioxidans, Mesorhizobium alhagi, Devosia geojensis, and Ensifer sojae, associated with the major P-cycling genes, were enriched in drought and no or low-P soils. Overall, the drought and no or low-P treatments stimulated microbial communities and gene abundances involved in P-cycling. However, this increase was insufficient to maintain soil P-bioavailability. These findings shed light on the responses and feedback of microbial-mediated P-cycling behaviors in desert ecosystems under three-year drought and soil P-deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanju Gao
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
| | - Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Xiangyi Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weiqi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Ecological-Geographical Processes, Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350117, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Tariq A, Graciano C, Sardans J, Zeng F, Hughes AC, Ahmed Z, Ullah A, Ali S, Gao Y, Peñuelas J. Plant root mechanisms and their effects on carbon and nutrient accumulation in desert ecosystems under changes in land use and climate. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:916-934. [PMID: 38482544 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Deserts represent key carbon reservoirs, yet as these systems are threatened this has implications for biodiversity and climate change. This review focuses on how these changes affect desert ecosystems, particularly plant root systems and their impact on carbon and mineral nutrient stocks. Desert plants have diverse root architectures shaped by water acquisition strategies, affecting plant biomass and overall carbon and nutrient stocks. Climate change can disrupt desert plant communities, with droughts impacting both shallow and deep-rooted plants as groundwater levels fluctuate. Vegetation management practices, like grazing, significantly influence plant communities, soil composition, root microorganisms, biomass, and nutrient stocks. Shallow-rooted plants are particularly susceptible to climate change and human interference. To safeguard desert ecosystems, understanding root architecture and deep soil layers is crucial. Implementing strategic management practices such as reducing grazing pressure, maintaining moderate harvesting levels, and adopting moderate fertilization can help preserve plant-soil systems. Employing socio-ecological approaches for community restoration enhances carbon and nutrient retention, limits desert expansion, and reduces CO2 emissions. This review underscores the importance of investigating belowground plant processes and their role in shaping desert landscapes, emphasizing the urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of desert ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Alice C Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 852, China
| | - Zeeshan Ahmed
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Abd Ullah
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Sikandar Ali
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanju Gao
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
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Tariq A, Ullah A, Graciano C, Zeng F, Gao Y, Sardans J, Hughes AC, Zhang Z, Peñuelas J. Combining different species in restoration is not always the right decision: Monocultures can provide higher ecological functions than intercropping in a desert ecosystem. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 357:120807. [PMID: 38569266 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Vegetation restoration in deserts is challenging due to these ecosystems' inherent fragility and harsh environmental conditions. One approach for active restoration involves planting native species, which can accelerate the recovery of ecosystem functions. To ensure the effectiveness of this process, carefully selecting species for planting is crucial. Generally, it is expected that a more diverse mix of species in the plantation will lead to the recovery of a greater number of ecosystem functions, especially when the selected species have complementary niche traits that facilitate maximum cooperation and minimize competition among them. In this study, we evaluated the planting of two native species from the hyper-desert of Taklamakan, China, which exhibit marked morpho-physiological differences: a phreatophytic legume (Alhagi sparsifolia) and a halophytic non-legume (Karelinia caspia). These species were grown in both monoculture and intercrop communities. Monoculture of the legume resulted in the highest biomass accumulation. Intercropping improved several ecosystem functions in the 50 cm-upper soil, particularly those related to phosphorus (P), carbon (C), and sulfur (S) concentrations, as well as soil enzyme activities. However, it also increased soil sodium (Na+) concentration and pH. Halophyte monocultures enhanced ecological functions associated with nitrogen concentrations in the upper soil and with P, S, C, and cation concentrations (K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Ni2+), along with enzyme activities in the deep soil. It also maximized Na+ accumulation in plant biomass. In summary, we recommend legume monoculture when the primary goal is to optimize biomass accumulation. Conversely, halophyte monoculture is advisable when the objective is to extract sodium from the soil or enhance ecosystem functions in the deep soil. Intercropping the two species is recommended to maximize the ecosystem functions of the upper soil, provided there is no salinization risk. When planning restoration efforts in desert regions, it is essential to understand the impact of each species on ecosystem function and how complementary species behave when intercropped. However, these interactions are likely species- and system-specific, highlighting the need for more work to optimize solutions for different arid ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola Del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Abd Ullah
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Yanju Gao
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola Del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Alice C Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 852, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola Del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
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Tariq A, Sardans J, Zeng F, Graciano C, Hughes AC, Farré-Armengol G, Peñuelas J. Impact of aridity rise and arid lands expansion on carbon-storing capacity, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem services. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17292. [PMID: 38634556 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Drylands, comprising semi-arid, arid, and hyperarid regions, cover approximately 41% of the Earth's land surface and have expanded considerably in recent decades. Even under more optimistic scenarios, such as limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2100, semi-arid lands may increase by up to 38%. This study provides an overview of the state-of-the-art regarding changing aridity in arid regions, with a specific focus on its effects on the accumulation and availability of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in plant-soil systems. Additionally, we summarized the impacts of rising aridity on biodiversity, service provisioning, and feedback effects on climate change across scales. The expansion of arid ecosystems is linked to a decline in C and nutrient stocks, plant community biomass and diversity, thereby diminishing the capacity for recovery and maintaining adequate water-use efficiency by plants and microbes. Prolonged drought led to a -3.3% reduction in soil organic carbon (SOC) content (based on 148 drought-manipulation studies), a -8.7% decrease in plant litter input, a -13.0% decline in absolute litter decomposition, and a -5.7% decrease in litter decomposition rate. Moreover, a substantial positive feedback loop with global warming exists, primarily due to increased albedo. The loss of critical ecosystem services, including food production capacity and water resources, poses a severe challenge to the inhabitants of these regions. Increased aridity reduces SOC, nutrient, and water content. Aridity expansion and intensification exacerbate socio-economic disparities between economically rich and least developed countries, with significant opportunities for improvement through substantial investments in infrastructure and technology. By 2100, half the world's landmass may become dryland, characterized by severe conditions marked by limited C, N, and P resources, water scarcity, and substantial loss of native species biodiversity. These conditions pose formidable challenges for maintaining essential services, impacting human well-being and raising complex global and regional socio-political challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Sardans
- Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alice C Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gerard Farré-Armengol
- Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
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Zhang Y, Du Y, Zhang Z, Islam W, Zeng F. Unveiling the diversity, composition, and dynamics of phyllosphere microbial communities in Alhagi sparsifolia across desert basins and seasons in Xinjiang, China. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1361756. [PMID: 38591034 PMCID: PMC10999668 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1361756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Phyllosphere microbes residing on plant leaf surfaces for maintaining plant health have gained increasing recognition. However, in desert ecosystems, knowledge about the variety, composition, and coexistence patterns of microbial communities in the phyllosphere remains limited. This study, conducted across three basins (Turpan-TLF, Tarim-CL, and Dzungaria-MSW) and three seasons (spring, summer, and autumn) in Xinjiang, China, aimed to explore the diversity and composition of microbial communities in the phyllosphere, encompassing both bacteria and fungi in Alhagi sparsifolia. We also investigated the co-occurrence patterns, influencing factors, and underlying mechanisms driving these dynamics. Results indicate that phyllosphere bacteria exhibited lower diversity indices (ACE, Shannon, Simpson, Fisher phylogenetic diversity, and Richness) in spring compared to summer and autumn, while the Goods Coverage Index (GCI) was higher in spring. Conversely, diversity indices and GCI of phyllosphere fungi showed an opposite trend. Interestingly, the lowest level of multi-functionality and niche width in phyllosphere bacteria occurred in spring, while the highest level was observed in phyllosphere fungi. Furthermore, the study revealed that no significant differences in multi-functionality were found among the regions (CL, MSW, and TLF). Network analysis highlighted that during spring, phyllosphere bacteria exhibited the lowest number of nodes, edges, and average degree, while phyllosphere fungi had the highest. Surprisingly, the multi-functionality of both phyllosphere bacteria and fungi showed no significant correlation with climatic and environmental factors but displayed a significant association with the morphological characteristics and physicochemical properties of leaves. Structural Equation Model indicated that the morphological characteristics of leaves significantly influenced the multi-functionality of phyllosphere bacteria and fungi. However, the indirect and total effects of climate on multi-functionality were greater than the effects of physicochemical properties and morphological characteristics of leaves. These findings offer new insights into leaf phyllosphere microbial community structure, laying a theoretical foundation for vegetation restoration and rational plant resource utilization in desert ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Zhang
- College of Ecology and Environmental, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, China
| | - Yi Du
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, China
| | - Waqar Islam
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, China
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- College of Ecology and Environmental, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Gao Y, Tariq A, Zeng F, Li X, Sardans J, Liu C, Peñuelas J. Fine-root traits are devoted to the allocation of foliar phosphorus fractions of desert species under water and phosphorus-poor environments. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2023; 175:e14105. [PMID: 38148234 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Traits of leaves and fine roots are expected to predict the responses and adaptation of plants to their environments. Whether and how fine-root traits (FRTs) are associated with the allocation of foliar phosphorus (P) fractions of desert species in water- and P-poor environments, however, remains unclear. We exposed seedlings of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. (hereafter Alhagi) treated with two water and four P-supply levels for three years in open-air pot experiments and measured the concentrations of foliar P fractions, foliar traits, and FRTs. The allocation proportion of foliar nucleic acid-P and acid phosphatase (APase) activity of fine roots were significantly higher by 45.94 and 53.3% in drought and no-P treatments relative to well-watered and high-P treatments, whereas foliar metabolic-P and structural-P were significantly lower by 3.70 and 5.26%. Allocation proportions of foliar structural-P and residual-P were positively correlated with fine-root P (FRP) concentration, but nucleic acid-P concentration was negatively correlated with FRP concentration. A tradeoff was found between the allocation proportion to all foliar P fractions relative to the FRP concentration, fine-root APase activity, and amounts of carboxylates, followed by fine-root morphological traits. The requirement for a link between the aboveground and underground tissues of Alhagi was generally higher in the drought than the well-watered treatment. Altering FRTs and the allocation of P to foliar nucleic acid-P were two coupled strategies of Alhagi under conditions of drought and/or low-P. These results advance our understanding of the strategies for allocating foliar P by mediating FRTs in drought and P-poor environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanju Gao
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, China
| | - Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyi Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Chenggang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
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Tariq A, Ullah I, Sardans J, Graciano C, Mussarat S, Ullah A, Zeng F, Wang W, Al-Bakre DA, Ahmed Z, Ali S, Zhang Z, Yaseen A, Peñuelas J. Strigolactones can be a potential tool to fight environmental stresses in arid lands. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115966. [PMID: 37100368 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental stresses pose a significant threat to plant growth and ecosystem productivity, particularly in arid lands that are more susceptible to climate change. Strigolactones (SLs), carotenoid-derived plant hormones, have emerged as a potential tool for mitigating environmental stresses. METHODS This review aimed to gather information on SLs' role in enhancing plant tolerance to ecological stresses and their possible use in improving the resistance mechanisms of arid land plant species to intense aridity in the face of climate change. RESULTS Roots exude SLs under different environmental stresses, including macronutrient deficiency, especially phosphorus (P), which facilitates a symbiotic association with arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF). SLs, in association with AMF, improve root system architecture, nutrient acquisition, water uptake, stomatal conductance, antioxidant mechanisms, morphological traits, and overall stress tolerance in plants. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SL-mediated acclimatization to abiotic stresses involves multiple hormonal pathways, including abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinins (CK), gibberellic acid (GA), and auxin. However, most of the experiments have been conducted on crops, and little attention has been paid to the dominant vegetation in arid lands that plays a crucial role in reducing soil erosion, desertification, and land degradation. All the environmental gradients (nutrient starvation, drought, salinity, and temperature) that trigger SL biosynthesis/exudation prevail in arid regions. The above-mentioned functions of SLs can potentially be used to improve vegetation restoration and sustainable agriculture. CONCLUSIONS Present review concluded that knowledge on SL-mediated tolerance in plants is developed, but still in-depth research is needed on downstream signaling components in plants, SL molecular mechanisms and physiological interactions, efficient methods of synthetic SLs production, and their effective application in field conditions. This review also invites researchers to explore the possible application of SLs in improving the survival rate of indigenous vegetation in arid lands, which can potentially help combat land degradation problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China.
| | - Ihteram Ullah
- Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola Del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sakina Mussarat
- Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Pakistan
| | - Abd Ullah
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China.
| | - Weiqi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process, Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China; Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Dhafer A Al-Bakre
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zeeshan Ahmed
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
| | - Sikandar Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
| | - Aftab Yaseen
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola Del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
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Ullah A, Tariq A, Zeng F, Sardans J, Graciano C, Ullah S, Chai X, Zhang Z, Keyimu M, Asghar MA, Javed HH, Peñuelas J. Phosphorous Supplementation Alleviates Drought-Induced Physio-Biochemical Damages in Calligonum mongolicum. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11223054. [PMID: 36432784 PMCID: PMC9699272 DOI: 10.3390/plants11223054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Calligonum mongolicum is a phreatophyte playing an important role in sand dune fixation, but little is known about its responses to drought and P fertilization. In the present study, we performed a pot experiment to investigate the effects of P fertilization under drought or well-watered conditions on multiple morpho-physio-biochemical attributes of C. mongolicum seedlings. Drought stress leads to a higher production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA), leading to impaired growth and metabolism. However, C. mongolicum exhibited effective drought tolerance strategies, including a higher accumulation of soluble sugars, starch, soluble protein, proline, and significantly higheractivities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes. P fertilization increased the productivity of drought-stressed seedlings by increasing their growth, assimilative shoots relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes accumulation, mineral nutrition, N assimilation, and reduced lipid peroxidation. Our findings suggest the presence of soil high P depletion and C. mongolicum high P requirements during the initial growth stage. Thus, P can be utilized as a fertilizer to enhance the growth and productivity of Calligonum vegetation and to reduce the fragility of the hyper-arid desert of Taklamakan in the context of future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abd Ullah
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
- Correspondence: (A.T.); (F.Z.); Tel.: +86-155-0448-0471 (A.T.)
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
- Correspondence: (A.T.); (F.Z.); Tel.: +86-155-0448-0471 (A.T.)
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires B1406, Argentina
| | - Sami Ullah
- Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Xutian Chai
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Maierdang Keyimu
- Xinjiang Key Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration Laboratory, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830000, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Muhammad Ahsan Asghar
- Department of Biological Resources, Agricultural Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, ELKH, 2462 Martonvásár, Hungary
| | - Hafiz Hassan Javed
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
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9
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Ullah A, Tariq A, Sardans J, Peñuelas J, Zeng F, Graciano C, Asghar MA, Raza A, Xiong YC, Chai X, Zhang Z. Alhagi sparsifolia acclimatizes to saline stress by regulating its osmotic, antioxidant, and nitrogen assimilation potential. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:453. [PMID: 36131250 PMCID: PMC9490911 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03832-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alhagi sparsifolia (Camelthorn) is a leguminous shrub species that dominates the Taklimakan desert's salty, hyperarid, and infertile landscapes in northwest China. Although this plant can colonize and spread in very saline soils, how it adapts to saline stress in the seedling stage remains unclear so a pot-based experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of four different saline stress levels (0, 50, 150, and 300 mM) on the morphological and physio-biochemical responses in A. sparsifolia seedlings. RESULTS Our results revealed that N-fixing A. sparsifolia has a variety of physio-biochemical anti-saline stress acclimations, including osmotic adjustments, enzymatic mechanisms, and the allocation of metabolic resources. Shoot-root growth and chlorophyll pigments significantly decreased under intermediate and high saline stress. Additionally, increasing levels of saline stress significantly increased Na+ but decreased K+ concentrations in roots and leaves, resulting in a decreased K+/Na+ ratio and leaves accumulated more Na + and K + ions than roots, highlighting their ability to increase cellular osmolarity, favouring water fluxes from soil to leaves. Salt-induced higher lipid peroxidation significantly triggered antioxidant enzymes, both for mass-scavenging (catalase) and cytosolic fine-regulation (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) of H2O2. Nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase also increased at low and intermediate saline stress levels but decreased under higher stress levels. Soluble proteins and proline rose at all salt levels, whereas soluble sugars increased only at low and medium stress. The results show that when under low-to-intermediate saline stress, seedlings invest more energy in osmotic adjustments but shift their investment towards antioxidant defense mechanisms under high levels of saline stress. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results suggest that A. sparsifolia seedlings tolerate low, intermediate, and high salt stress by promoting high antioxidant mechanisms, osmolytes accumulations, and the maintenance of mineral N assimilation. However, a gradual decline in growth with increasing salt levels could be attributed to the diversion of energy from growth to maintain salinity homeostasis and anti-stress oxidative mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abd Ullah
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia Spain
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia Spain
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Muhammad Ahsan Asghar
- Department of Biological Resources, Agricultural Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, ELKH, Martonvásár, Hungary
| | - Ali Raza
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - You-Cai Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Institute of Arid Agroecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Xutian Chai
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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