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Zhao J, Shi C, Wang L, Han X, Zhu Y, Liu J, Yang X. Functional Trait Responses of Sophora alopecuroides L. Seedlings to Diverse Environmental Stresses in the Desert Steppe of Ningxia, China. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:69. [PMID: 38202378 PMCID: PMC10780927 DOI: 10.3390/plants13010069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The seedling stage of plants is a crucial and vulnerable period in population and community dynamics. Despite this, studies on how plant traits respond to different environmental stresses often tend to overlook this early stage. Our study focused on Sophora alopecuroides L. seedlings in Ningxia Yanchi desert steppe, analyzing the effects of sand burial, salinity, and drought on their key aboveground and belowground traits. The results showed that sand burial significantly negatively affected stem biomass (SB), leaf biomass (LB), stem diameter (SD), leaf length (LL), leaf width (LW), leaf area (LA), and total root volume (RV), but positively influenced total root length (RL). As sand burial depth increased, SB, LB, SD, LL, LW, LA, RV, root biomass (RB), RV, and lateral root numbers (LRN) significantly decreased. Salinity stress negatively affected SB, LB, SD, LL, LW, LA, RB, RL, and RV, with these traits declining as the stress concentration increased. Drought stress had a positive effect on SD and LL, with both traits showing an increase as the intensity of the drought stress intensified; however, it adversely affected RL. In Ningxia Yanchi desert steppe, salinity stress had the most significant effect on the traits of S. alopecuroides seedlings, followed by sand burial, with drought having the least significant effect. This study provides essential theoretical support for understanding how S. alopecuroides seedlings cope with environmental stresses in their early life stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingdong Zhao
- Breeding Base for State Key Lab. of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration in Northwestern China/Key Lab. of Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystems in Northwestern China of Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Chaoyi Shi
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Inner Mongolia Water Resources Inner Mongolia Water Resources Co., Ltd., Hohhot 010020, China
| | - Le Wang
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Xuejiao Han
- Forestry and Grassland Work Station of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Yuanjun Zhu
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Jiankang Liu
- Breeding Base for State Key Lab. of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration in Northwestern China/Key Lab. of Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystems in Northwestern China of Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Xiaohui Yang
- Institute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
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