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Song Z, Zuo X, Zhao X, Qiao J, Ya H, Li X, Yue P, Chen M, Wang S, Medina-Roldán E. Plant functional traits mediate the response magnitude of plant-litter-soil microbial C: N: P stoichiometry to nitrogen addition in a desert steppe. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:169915. [PMID: 38190901 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169915] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Global nitrogen deposition is significantly altering the carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry in terrestrial ecosystems, yet how N deposition simultaneously affects plant-litter-soil-soil microbial stoichiometry in arid grassland is still unclear. In a five-year experimental study conducted in a desert steppe in Northern China, we investigated the effects of N addition on the C:N:P stoichiometry of plants, litter, soil, and soil microbes. We also used structural equation modelling (SEM) exploring the direct or indirect effects of N addition, plant species diversity, functional traits and diversity, soil microbial diversity, soil pH, soil electrical conductivity (EC) and moisture on the stoichiometry in plant-soil system. The results showed that N addition increased the N, P concentrations and N:P in plants, the N concentration and N:P in litter, and the C, N concentrations, C:P and N:P in microbes. Conversely, it decreased the C:N and C:P in plants, and litter C:N. Functional traits, functional dispersion (FDis), soil pH and EC accounted for a substantial proportion of the observed variations in elemental concentrations (from 42 % to 69 %) and stoichiometry (from 9 % to 73 %) across different components. SEM results showed that N addition decreased C:N and C:P in plants and litter by increasing FDis and leaf N content, while increased plant and litter N:P by decreasing leaf C content and increasing specific leaf area, respectively. Furthermore, N addition increased microbial C:P by increasing leaf thickness. We also found the mediating effects of soil pH and EC on C:N, C:P of litter and microbial N:P. Overall, our research suggests that plant functional traits as key predictors of nutrient cycling responses in desert steppes under N addition. This study extends the application of plant functional traits, enhances our understanding of C and nutrient cycling and facilitates predicting the response of desert steppes to N deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaobin Song
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao 028300, China.
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao 028300, China
| | - Jingjuan Qiao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hu Ya
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Min Chen
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shaokun Wang
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Eduardo Medina-Roldán
- Institute of BioEconomy-National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
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Gong J, Song L, Zhang Z, Dong J, Zhang S, Zhang W, Dong X, Hu Y, Liu Y. Correlations between root phosphorus acquisition and foliar phosphorus allocation reveal how grazing promotes plant phosphorus utilization. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 208:108467. [PMID: 38412704 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108467] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Overgrazing and phosphorus (P) deficiency are two major factors limiting the sustainable development of grassland ecosystems. Exploring plant P utilization and acquisition strategies under grazing can provide a solid basis for determining a reasonable grazing intensity. Both foliar P allocation and root P acquisition are crucial mechanisms for plants to adapt to environmental P availability; however, their changing characteristics and correlation under grazing remain unknown. Here, we investigated foliar P fractions, root P-acquisition traits and gene expression, as well as rhizosphere and bulk soil properties of two dominant plant species, Leymus chinensis (a rhizomatous grass) and Stipa grandis (a bunchgrass), in a field grazing intensity gradient site in Inner Mongolia. Grazing induced different degrees of compensatory growth in the two dominant plant species, increased rhizosphere P availability, and alleviated plant P limitation. Under grazing, the foliar metabolite P of L. chinensis increased, whereas the nucleic acid P of S. grandis increased. Increased P fractions in L. chinensis were positively correlated with increased root exudates and rapid inorganic P absorption. For S. grandis, increased foliar P fractions were positively correlated with more fine roots, more root exudates, and up-regulated expression of genes involved in defense and P metabolism. Overall, efficient root P mobilization and uptake traits, as well as increases in leaf metabolic activity-related P fractions, supported plant compensatory growth under grazing, a process that differed between tiller types. The highest plant productivity and leaf metabolic activity-related P concentrations under medium grazing intensity clarify the underlying basis for sustainable livestock production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirui Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Liangyuan Song
- Institute of Land and Urban-Rural Development, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
| | - Zihe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jiaojiao Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Siqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Weiyuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xuede Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yuxia Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, MOE Engineering Research Center of Desertification and Blown-sand Control, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
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Yu S, Sahito ZA, Lu M, Huang Q, Du P, Chen D, Lian J, Feng Y, He Z, Yang X. Soil water stress alters differentially relative metabolic pathways affecting growth performance and metal uptake efficiency in a cadmium hyperaccumulator ecotype of Sedum alfredii. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:88986-88997. [PMID: 37450188 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28691-7] [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: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Modeling plants for biomass production and metal uptake from surrounding environment is strongly dependent on the moisture content of soil. Therefore, experiments were conducted to find out how soil moisture affects the phenotypic traits, photosynthetic efficiency, metabolic profile, and metal accumulation in the hyperaccumulating ecotype of Sedum alfredii (S. alfredii). A total of six water potential gradients were set: 0 ~ -15 kPa (T1), -15 ~ -30 kPa (T2), -30 ~ -45 kPa (T3), -45 ~ -60 kPa (T4), -60 ~ -75 kPa (T5), and -75 ~ -90 kPa (T6). Different water potential treatments had a significant effect on plant growth and metal uptake efficiency. Compared to T3, T2 was more effective in promoting plant growth and development, with an increase in biomass of 23% and 17% in both fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW), respectively. T2 and T3 had the highest cadmium (Cd) content in the shoot (280.2 mg/kg) and (283.3 mg/kg), respectively, whereas T1 had the lowest values (204.7 mg/kg). Cd availability for plants in the soil was affected by moving soil moisture cycles. Changes in soil moisture that were either too high or too low compared to the ideal soil water content for S. alfredii growth resulted in a significant reduction in Cd accumulation in shoots. Tryptophan, phenylalanine, and other amino acids were accumulated in T5, whereas only tryptophan and phenylalanine slightly increased in T1. Sugars and alcohols such as sucrose, trehalose, mannitol, galactinol, and mannobiose increased in T5, while they decreased significantly in T1. Interestingly, in contrast to T1, the two impaired metabolic pathways in T5 (galactose and starch metabolism) were identified to be glucose metabolic pathways. These findings provide scientific information (based on experiments) to improve biomass production and metal uptake efficiency in hyperaccumulating ecotype of S. alfredii for phytoremediation-contaminated agricultural fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Yu
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Zulfiqar Ali Sahito
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Lu
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiwei Huang
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Pengtao Du
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-Saving Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan Chen
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiapan Lian
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Feng
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenli He
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Indian River Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL, 34945, USA
| | - Xiaoe Yang
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China.
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Tong R, Yang X, Wang Q, Li L, Li Y, Shi Y, Mu C, Wang J. The Shift in Key Functional Traits Caused by Precipitation under Nitrogen and Phosphorus Deposition Drives Biomass Change in Leymus chinensis. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12091781. [PMID: 37176839 PMCID: PMC10181414 DOI: 10.3390/plants12091781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The trade-offs between key functional traits in plants have a decisive impact on biomass production. However, how precipitation and nutrient deposition affect the trade-offs in traits and, ultimately, productivity is still unclear. In the present study, a mesocosm experiment was conducted to explore the relationships between biomass production and the aboveground and belowground key functional traits and their trade-offs under changes in precipitation and nutrient depositions in Leymus chinensis, a monodominant perennial rhizome grass widespread in the eastern Eurasian steppe. Our results showed that moisture is the key factor regulating the effect of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deposition on increased biomass production. Under conditions of average precipitation, water use efficiency (WUE) was the key trait determining the biomass of L. chinensis. There were obvious trade-offs between WUE and leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf thickness, and leaf dry matter. Conversely, under increasing precipitation, the effect of restricted soil water on leaf traits was relieved; the key limiting trait changed from WUE to plant height. These findings indicate that the shift of fundamental traits of photosynthetic carbon gain induced by precipitation under N and P deposition is the key ecological driving mechanism for the biomass production of typical dominant species in semi-arid grassland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqiang Tong
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Xinran Yang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Qiuyue Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Lin Li
- Jilin Agricultural Radio and Television School, Changchun 130599, China
| | - Yanan Li
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yujie Shi
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Chunsheng Mu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Junfeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
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Zang YX, Xu WX, Wu K, Yang WK. Effect of Nitrogen Application on the Sensitivity of Desert Shrub Community Productivity to Precipitation in Central Asia. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:916706. [PMID: 35923882 PMCID: PMC9340062 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.916706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Precipitation variability and nitrogen (N) deposition caused by anthropogenic activities could profoundly impact ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling. In desert ecosystems, vegetation is sensitive to changes in precipitation and N deposition. However, the impacts of large changes in precipitation, especially with a concurrent increase in N content, on plant community remain unclear. In this study, we carried out experiments to monitor the impacts of five precipitation levels and two N levels on the plant community function and composition from the Junggar desert in Central Asia during the period 2018-2019. Our results showed that: (1) Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) significantly increased with increasing precipitation, it followed a positive linear model under normal precipitation range, and nonlinear mode under extreme precipitation events; (2) N application led to an increase in ANPP, but did not significantly improve the sensitivity of ANPP to precipitation change; (3) Changes in N content and precipitation, and their impacts on ANPP were mainly driven by plant density. These results provide a theoretical basis for predict the future dynamics of terrestrial vegetation more accurately under climate change and increasing nitrogen deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Xin Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Wen-Xuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- The Specimen Museum of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
| | - Ke Wu
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
| | - Wei-Kang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- The Specimen Museum of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
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Teng L, Liu H, Chu X, Song X, Shi L. Effect of precipitation change on the photosynthetic performance of Phragmites australis under elevated temperature conditions. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13087. [PMID: 35291483 PMCID: PMC8918233 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background As a fundamental metabolism, leaf photosynthesis not only provides necessary energy for plant survival and growth but also plays an important role in global carbon fixation. However, photosynthesis is highly susceptible to environmental stresses and can be significantly influenced by future climate change. Methods In this study, we examined the photosynthetic responses of Phragmites australis (P. australis) to three precipitation treatments (control, decreased 30%, and increased 30%) under two thermal regimes (ambient temperature and +4 °C) in environment-controlled chambers. Results Our results showed that the net CO2 assimilation rate (P n), maximal rate of Rubisco (V cmax), maximal rate of ribulose-bisphosphate (RuBP) regeneration (J max) and chlorophyll (Chl) content were enhanced under increased precipitation condition, but were declined drastically under the condition of water deficit. The increased precipitation had no significant effect on malondialdehyde (MDA) content (p > 0.05), but water deficit drastically enhanced the MDA content by 10.1%. Meanwhile, a high temperature inhibited the positive effects of increased precipitation, aggravated the adverse effects of drought. The combination of high temperature and water deficit had more detrimental effect on P. australis than a single factor. Moreover, non-stomatal limitation caused by precipitation change played a major role in determining carbon assimilation rate. Under ambient temperature, Chl content had close relationship with P n (R2 = 0.86, p < 0.01). Under high temperature, P n was ralated to MDA content (R2 = 0.81, p < 0.01). High temperature disrupted the balance between V cmax and J max (the ratio of J max to V cmax decreased from 1.88 to 1.12) which resulted in a negative effect on the photosynthesis of P. australis. Furthermore, by the analysis of Chl fluorescence, we found that the xanthophyll cycle-mediated thermal dissipation played a major role in PSII photoprotection, resulting in no significant change on actual PSII quantum yield (Φ PSII) under both changing precipitation and high temperature conditions. Conclusions Our results highlight the significant role of precipitation change in regulating the photosynthetic performance of P. australis under elevated temperature conditions, which may exacerbate the drought-induced primary productivity reduction of P. australis under future climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Lianhui Shi
- Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
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Hamerlynck EP, O’Connor RC. Photochemical performance of reproductive structures in Great Basin bunchgrasses in response to soil-water availability. AOB PLANTS 2022; 14:plab076. [PMID: 35024103 PMCID: PMC8739650 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plab076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Active restoration, especially seeding, is necessary in sagebrush steppe rangelands degraded by the spread and dominance of exotic invasive annual grasses, in part due to low, episodic seed production of native perennial bunchgrasses. In contrast, the widespread exotic bunchgrass, crested wheatgrass, readily produces viable seed cohorts. How soil-water availability affects the ecophysiology of the reproductive structures that may underlie these differences are unclear. To address this, we measured pre- and post-anthesis chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of optimal (F v/F m) and light-adapted PSII quantum yield (ϕ PSII) and ϕ PSII-derived electron transport rate (ETR) response to photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) in seed heads and flag leaves of watered and unwatered crested wheatgrass and squirreltail wild rye. Watering increased F v/F m in the sampled structures of both species, but ϕ PSII was similar between watering treatments. Pre- to post-anthesis F v/F m levels were maintained in crested wheatgrass seed heads but declined in flag leaves, with the opposite pattern apparent in squirreltail. Watering did not affect the ETR-PPFD response, but crested wheatgrass seed heads maintained higher ETR across saturating PPFD than did squirreltail. These findings suggest (i) photochemical efficiency is expressed in structures most closely associated with reproductive effort, and (ii) documented differences in seed head photosynthetic characteristics likely include some degree of allocation to individual floret photosynthetic capacity in addition to structural characteristics. We concluded that these physiological and structural differences may contribute to the differential ability of these species to establish from seed, and may help in effective plant material selection needed to improve restoration and conservation success in sagebrush steppe rangelands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik P Hamerlynck
- USDA-ARS, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720, USA
| | - Rory C O’Connor
- USDA-ARS, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720, USA
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Scaling Up from Leaf to Whole-Plant Level for Water Use Efficiency Estimates Based on Stomatal and Mesophyll Behaviour in Platycladus orientalis. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14020263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Prediction of whole-plant short-term water use efficiency (WUEs,P) is essential to indicate plant performance and facilitate comparison across different temporal and spatial scales. In this study, an isotope model was scaled up from the leaf to the whole-plant level, in order to simulate the variation in WUEs,P in response to different CO2 concentrations (Ca; 400, 600, and 800 μmol·mol−1) and soil water content (SWC; 35–100% of field capacity). For WUEs,P modelling, leaf gas exchange information, plant respiration, and “unproductive” water loss were taken into account. Specifically, in shaping the expression of the WUEs,P, we emphasized the role of both stomatal (gsw) and mesophyll conductance (gm). Simulations were compared with the measured results to check the model’s applicability. The verification showed that estimates of gsw from the coupled photosynthesis (Pn,L)-gsw model accounting for the effect of soil water stress slightly outperformed the model neglecting the soil water status effect. The established coupled Pn,L-gm model also proved more effective in estimating gm than the previously proposed model. Introducing the two diffusion control functions into the whole-plant model, the developed model for WUEs,P effectively captured its response pattern to different Ca and SWC conditions. Overall, this study confirmed that the accurate estimation of WUEs,P requires an improved predictive accuracy of gsw and gm. These results have important implications for predicting how plants respond to climate change.
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Qi M, Liu X, Li Y, Song H, Yin Z, Zhang F, He Q, Xu Z, Zhou G. Photosynthetic resistance and resilience under drought, flooding and rewatering in maize plants. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2021; 148:1-15. [PMID: 33661466 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-021-00825-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Abnormally altered precipitation patterns induced by climate change have profound global effects on crop production. However, the plant functional responses to various precipitation regimes remain unclear. Here, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine how maize plant functional traits respond to drought, flooding and rewatering. Drought and flooding hampered photosynthetic capacity, particularly when severe and/or prolonged. Most photosynthetic traits recovered after rewatering, with few compensatory responses. Rewatering often elicited high photosynthetic resilience in plants exposed to severe drought at the end of plant development, with the response strongly depending on the drought severity/duration. The associations of chlorophyll concentrations with photosynthetically functional activities were stronger during post-tasseling than pre-tasseling, implying an involvement of leaf age/senescence in responses to episodic drought and subsequent rewatering. Coordinated changes in chlorophyll content, gas exchange, fluorescence parameters (PSII quantum efficiency and photochemical/non-photochemical radiative energy dissipation) possibly contributed to the enhanced drought resistance and resilience and suggested a possible regulative trade-off. These findings provide fundamental insights into how plants regulate their functional traits to deal with sporadic alterations in precipitation. Breeding and management of plants with high resistance and resilience traits could help crop production under future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaodi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yibo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - He Song
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zuotian Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Qijin He
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhenzhu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Guangsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
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Role of Suillus placidus in Improving the Drought Tolerance of Masson Pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) Seedlings. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12030332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Masson pine is an important afforestation species in southern China, where seasonal drought is common. The present study focused on the effects of Suillus placidus, an ectomycorrhizal fungus, inoculation on the growth and physiological and biochemical performance of masson pine seedlings under four different watering treatments (well-watered, mild drought, moderate drought, and severe drought) to evaluate the symbiotic relationship between S. placidus and masson pine seedlings. Ectomycorrhizal-inoculated (ECM) and non-inoculated (NM) seedlings were grown in pots and maintained for 60 days using the weighing method. Results showed that seedlings’ growth, dry weight, RWC, chlorophyll content, PSII efficiency, and photosynthesis decreased as drought stress intensified in both ECM and NM plants. This suggests that drought stress significantly limits the growth and photosynthetic performance of masson pine seedlings. Nevertheless, increased An/gs and proline contents in both NM and ECM prevented oxidative damage caused by drought stress. In addition, increased peroxidase (POD) activity is an essential defense mechanism of ECM seedling under drought stress. Compared with NM, ECM seedlings showed faster growth, higher RWC, and photosynthetic performance, and lower lipid peroxidation in cell membranes under drought stress, as indicated by higher POD activity and lower proline and malondialdehyde (MDA). Our experiment found that S. placidus inoculation can enhance the drought resistance of masson pine seedlings by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity, water use efficiency, and proline content, thereby enhancing growth under water-deficiency conditions. S. placidus can be used to cultivate high-quality seedlings and improve their survival in regions that experience seasonal droughts.
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Abstract
Although unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been utilized in many aspects of steppe management, they have not been commonly used to monitor the soil moisture of steppes. To explore the technology of detecting soil moisture by UAV in a typical steppe, we conducted a watered test in the Loess Plateau of China, quantitatively revealing the relationship between the surface soil moisture and the visible images captured using an UAV. The results showed that the surface soil moisture was significantly correlated with the brightness of UAV visible images, and the surface soil moisture could be estimated based on the brightness of the visible images of the UAV combined with vegetation coverage. This study addresses the problem of soil moisture measurement in flat regions of arid and semi-arid steppes at the mesoscale, and contributes to the popularization of the use of UAVs in steppe ecological research.
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12
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Wang H, Zhou G, Jiang Y, Shi Y, Xu Z. Effects of elevated CO
2
on
Stipa baicalensis
photosynthesis depend on precipitation and growth phase. Ecol Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Guangsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences Institute Of Ecological Environment and Agrometeorology, Beijing China
| | - Yanling Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Yaohui Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Zhenzhu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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Dikšaitytė A, Viršilė A, Žaltauskaitė J, Januškaitienė I, Juozapaitienė G. Growth and photosynthetic responses in Brassica napus differ during stress and recovery periods when exposed to combined heat, drought and elevated CO 2. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2019; 142:59-72. [PMID: 31272036 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
This study was intended to investigate how an agronomically important crop Brassica napus will be able to cope with the combined impact of a heatwave (21/14 °C vs. 33/26 °C day/night) and drought under ambient or elevated CO2 (800 vs. 400 μmol mol-1) and to what degree their recovery will be ensured after the stress, when additional CO2 is also removed. The obtained results revealed that, in the presence of an adequate water supply, B. napus performed well under heatwave conditions. However, drought fully negated all the advantages gained from hotter climate and led to a slower and incomplete recovery of gas exchange and retarded growth after the stress, regardless mitigating the effect of elevated CO2 during the stress. The mechanism by which the elevated CO2 diminished the adverse effect of a combined heat and drought stress on photosynthetic rate at saturating light (Asat) was attributed to the improved plant water relations. However, it had little effect on the recovery of Asat. In contrast, the mechanism by which photosynthesis was more impaired under the combination of heatwave and drought, compared to single drought treatment, was attributed mainly to the faster soil drying as well as faster and sharper decrease in stomatal conductance and subsequent in Ci/Ca. Keeping in mind that photosynthesis can acclimatize by downregulation to higher CO2, the results of this study, showing a weak memory of mitigating the effect of elevated CO2, highlight a potential risk of more intense and frequent heatwaves and droughts on B. napus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austra Dikšaitytė
- Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Kauno St. 30 Babtai, Kaunas Distr, LT54333, Lithuania; Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos St. 8, LT44404, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Akvilė Viršilė
- Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Kauno St. 30 Babtai, Kaunas Distr, LT54333, Lithuania
| | - Jūratė Žaltauskaitė
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos St. 8, LT44404, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Irena Januškaitienė
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos St. 8, LT44404, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Gintarė Juozapaitienė
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos St. 8, LT44404, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Lv X, He Q, Zhou G. Contrasting responses of steppe Stipa ssp. to warming and precipitation variability. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9061-9075. [PMID: 31463004 PMCID: PMC6706196 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change, characterized by warming and precipitation variability, restricted the growth of plants in arid and semiarid areas, and various functional traits are impacted differently. Comparing responses of functional traits to warming and precipitation variability and determining critical water threshold of dominate steppe grasses from Inner Mongolia facilitates the identification and monitoring of water stress effects. A combination of warming (ambient temperature, +1.5°C and +2.0°C) and varying precipitation (-30%, -15%, ambient, +15%, and +30%) manipulation experiments were performed on four Stipa species (S. baicalensis, S. bungeana, S. grandis, and S. breviflora) from Inner Mongolia steppe. The results showed that the functional traits of the four grasses differed in their responses to precipitation, but they shared common sensitive traits (root/shoot ratio, R/S, and specific leaf area; SLA) under ambient temperature condition. Warming increased the response of the four grasses to changing precipitation, and these differences in functional traits resulted in changes to their total biomass, with leaf area, SLA, and R/S making the largest contributions. Critical water thresholds of the four grasses were identified, and warming led to their higher optimum precipitation requirements. The four steppe grasses were able to adapt better to mild drought (summer precipitation decreased by 12%-28%) when warming 1.5°C rather than 2.0°C. These results indicated that if the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C will be accomplished, this will increase the probability for sustained viability of the Stipa steppes in the next 50-100 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Severe WeatherChinese Academy of Meteorological SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Qijin He
- College of Resources and Environmental SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Guangsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Severe WeatherChinese Academy of Meteorological SciencesBeijingChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast Meteorological Disaster Warning and AssessmentNanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyNanjingChina
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15
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Zhouri L, Kallida R, Shaimi N, Barre P, Volaire F, Gaboun F, Fakiri M. Evaluation of cocksfoot ( Dactylis glomerata L.) population for drought survival and behavior. Saudi J Biol Sci 2019; 26:49-56. [PMID: 30622406 PMCID: PMC6319197 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change models predict frequent and intense droughts in the world. Development of drought-tolerant species and cultivars is necessary to cope with such changes. Forage grass species are affected, especially in the Mediterranean region. The aim of the present study was to investigate the diversity for drought survival, summer dormancy, and productivity within a cocksfoot population. The study was conducted in Morocco, under field conditions from 2011 to 2013. 283 genotypes of cocksfoot and parents were tested, characterized for dry matter yield, heading date, plant height, senescence, summer dormancy, and drought survival. Results exhibited a large variability between traits. 79% of the population had survived after severe drought summer while 57% yielded more than both parents. Also, 63% of the progeny had an intermediate score of summer dormancy estimated by senescence score. Large variability was also noticed for heading date and plant height. Several accessions combined a high yield and persistence under severe summer drought. Which explain the significant correlation (r = 0.18, P < 0.005) founded between total dry matter accumulated in 2013 and plant survival. Accordingly, our results showed that we can rise persistent and resilient genotypes among population with a good level of biomass.
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Key Words
- ADM, autumn recovery dry matter
- ANOVA, one-way analysis of variance procedure
- Cocksfoot
- DS, drought survival
- Drought resistance
- HD, heading date
- Hybrids
- PCA, Principal Component Analyses
- PH, plant height
- Plants survival
- S/Sp, Norton index
- SD, summer dormancy
- SDI, summer dormancy index
- Senesc, senescence
- SpB, spring biomass
- Summer dormancy
- TDM, total dry matter
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Affiliation(s)
- Latifa Zhouri
- Laboratory of Agri-Food and Health, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Hassan 1st University, BP 577, 26000 Settat, Morocco
- Research Unit Animal Production and Forage, INRA, RCAR-Rabat, P.O. Box 6570, Rabat Institutes, 10101 Rabat, Morocco
| | - Rajae Kallida
- Research Unit Animal Production and Forage, INRA, RCAR-Rabat, P.O. Box 6570, Rabat Institutes, 10101 Rabat, Morocco
| | - Naima Shaimi
- Research Unit Plant Breeding, Conservation and Valorization of Plant Genetic Resources, INRA, RCAR-Rabat, P.O. Box 6570, Rabat Institutes, 10101 Rabat, Morocco
| | - Philippe Barre
- UR4 Multidisciplinary Research Unit Prairies and Forage Plants, National Institute for Agricultural Research, Lusignan, France
| | - Florence Volaire
- USC1338, Center of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, UMR5175, National Institute for Agricultural Research, Montpellier, France
| | - Fatima Gaboun
- Research Unit Biotechnology, INRA, RCAR-Rabat, P.O. Box 6356, Rabat Institutes, 10101 Rabat, Morocco
| | - Malika Fakiri
- Laboratory of Agri-Food and Health, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Hassan 1st University, BP 577, 26000 Settat, Morocco
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Zhang R, Schellenberg MP, Han G, Wang H, Li J. Drought weakens the positive effects of defoliation on native rhizomatous grasses but enhances the drought-tolerance traits of native caespitose grasses. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12126-12139. [PMID: 30598805 PMCID: PMC6303709 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the drought tolerance, compensatory growth, and different plant traits between two native perennial caespitose grasses and two native rhizomatous grasses in response to drought and defoliation. A randomized complete block design at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre (SCRDC) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) examined the effects of water stress and clipping on the plant biomass, plant morphological traits, and relative leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value) of four native grasses (caespitose grass: Hesperostipa comata and H. curtiseta; rhizomatous grass: Pascopyrum smithii and Elymus lanceolatus). Drought drastically decreased the shoot and root biomass, plant height, number of tillers and leaf growth of P. smithii and E. lanceolatus, as well as the rhizome biomass and R/S ratio of P. smithii. Defoliation had a positive effect on the shoot biomass of P. smithii and E. lanceolatus under well water treatments (100% and 85% of field capacity). However, the compensatory growth of P. smithii and E. lanceolatus significantly declined with increased water stress. In addition, there are no significant changes in plant biomass, plant height, number of tillers and leaves, and SPAD value of H. comata and H. curtiseta under relative dry condition (70% of field capacity). Consequently, these results demonstrated that the rhizomatous grasses possessed a stronger compensation in response to defoliation under wet conditions, but the positive effects of defoliation can be weakened by drought. The caespitose grasses (Hesperostipa species) exhibited a greater drought tolerance than rhizomatous grasses due to the relatively stable plant traits in response to water stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyang Zhang
- College of Grassland, Resources and EnvironmentKey Laboratory of Grassland Resources of Ministry of Education of ChinaKey Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture of ChinaInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotInner MongoliaChina
- Swift Current Research and Development CentreAgriculture and Agri‐Food CanadaSwift CurrentSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Michael P. Schellenberg
- Swift Current Research and Development CentreAgriculture and Agri‐Food CanadaSwift CurrentSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Guodong Han
- College of Grassland, Resources and EnvironmentKey Laboratory of Grassland Resources of Ministry of Education of ChinaKey Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture of ChinaInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotInner MongoliaChina
| | - Hu Wang
- Swift Current Research and Development CentreAgriculture and Agri‐Food CanadaSwift CurrentSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Junxian Li
- Swift Current Research and Development CentreAgriculture and Agri‐Food CanadaSwift CurrentSaskatchewanCanada
- Agronomy CollegeGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouGansuChina
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17
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He F, Wang K, Hannaway DB, Li X. Effects of precipitation and clipping intensity on net primary productivity and composition of a Leymus chinensis temperate grassland steppe. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0190450. [PMID: 29287115 PMCID: PMC5747479 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Leymus chinensis (Trin.) is the dominant vegetation type in eastern Eurasian temperate grasslands but is decreasing due to the combined pressure of reduced precipitation and overgrazing. This study evaluated the separate and combined effects of precipitation and defoliation on net primary productivity (NPP) and composition of a L. chinensis steppe to promote the sustainable development of temperate grasslands through improved management practices. The effects of three precipitation gradients (precipitation unchanged, reduced by 50%, and increased by 50%) and two clipping intensities (clipping once or twice per year) were examined on NPP and composition of the L. chinensis community using a 7-year in situ controlled trial at the Guyuan State Key Monitoring and Research Station of Grassland Ecosystem in China. The results showed that: (1) a 50% reduction in natural precipitation significantly decreased NPP; a 50% increase in precipitation did not significantly increase NPP, but it decreased the importance value of L. chinensis because more water promoted the growth of competing species. (2) Clipping twice per year increased NPP, but the increase was from the dry matter of other species (DMO) component, and not from the dry matter of L. chinensis. (3) The standardized coefficients of a regression model (β) for DMO, NPP, and the importance value of L. chinensis were 0.685, 0.532, and −0.608 for precipitation, and 0.369, 0.419, and −0.276 for clipping mode, respectively. This study demonstrated that variation in precipitationis the key driver of NPP and composition of a L. chinensis steppe under the precipitation range and clipping intensities evaluated. This improved understanding of the effects of precipitation and clipping on NPP and composition will allow for improved, sustainable management of L. chinensis temperate grassland steppes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng He
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Grassland Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - David B. Hannaway
- Department of Crop & Soil Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Xianglin Li
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- * E-mail:
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18
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Onoda Y, Wright IJ, Evans JR, Hikosaka K, Kitajima K, Niinemets Ü, Poorter H, Tosens T, Westoby M. Physiological and structural tradeoffs underlying the leaf economics spectrum. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 214:1447-1463. [PMID: 28295374 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The leaf economics spectrum (LES) represents a suite of intercorrelated leaf traits concerning construction costs per unit leaf area, nutrient concentrations, and rates of carbon fixation and tissue turnover. Although broad trade-offs among leaf structural and physiological traits have been demonstrated, we still do not have a comprehensive view of the fundamental constraints underlying the LES trade-offs. Here, we investigated physiological and structural mechanisms underpinning the LES by analysing a novel data compilation incorporating rarely considered traits such as the dry mass fraction in cell walls, nitrogen allocation, mesophyll CO2 diffusion and associated anatomical traits for hundreds of species covering major growth forms. The analysis demonstrates that cell wall constituents are major components of leaf dry mass (18-70%), especially in leaves with high leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and long lifespan. A greater fraction of leaf mass in cell walls is typically associated with a lower fraction of leaf nitrogen (N) invested in photosynthetic proteins; and lower within-leaf CO2 diffusion rates, as a result of thicker mesophyll cell walls. The costs associated with greater investments in cell walls underpin the LES: long leaf lifespans are achieved via higher LMA and in turn by higher cell wall mass fraction, but this inevitably reduces the efficiency of photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Onoda
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - John R Evans
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
| | - Kouki Hikosaka
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Kaoru Kitajima
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Tiina Tosens
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
| | - Mark Westoby
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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Wan D, Wan Y, Yang Q, Zou B, Ren W, Ding Y, Wang Z, Wang R, Wang K, Hou X. Selection of Reference Genes for qRT-PCR Analysis of Gene Expression in Stipa grandis during Environmental Stresses. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169465. [PMID: 28056110 PMCID: PMC5215803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Stipa grandis P. Smirn. is a dominant plant species in the typical steppe of the Xilingole Plateau of Inner Mongolia. Selection of suitable reference genes for the quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is important for gene expression analysis and research into the molecular mechanisms underlying the stress responses of S. grandis. In the present study, 15 candidate reference genes (EF1 beta, ACT, GAPDH, SamDC, CUL4, CAP, SNF2, SKIP1, SKIP5, SKIP11, UBC2, UBC15, UBC17, UCH, and HERC2) were evaluated for their stability as potential reference genes for qRT-PCR under different stresses. Four algorithms were used: GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder. The results showed that the most stable reference genes were different under different stress conditions: EF1beta and UBC15 during drought and salt stresses; ACT and GAPDH under heat stress; SKIP5 and UBC17 under cold stress; UBC15 and HERC2 under high pH stress; UBC2 and UBC15 under wounding stress; EF1beta and UBC17 under jasmonic acid treatment; UBC15 and CUL4 under abscisic acid treatment; and HERC2 and UBC17 under salicylic acid treatment. EF1beta and HERC2 were the most suitable genes for the global analysis of all samples. Furthermore, six target genes, SgPOD, SgPAL, SgLEA, SgLOX, SgHSP90 and SgPR1, were selected to validate the most and least stable reference genes under different treatments. Our results provide guidelines for reference gene selection for more accurate qRT-PCR quantification and will promote studies of gene expression in S. grandis subjected to environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongli Wan
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Yongqing Wan
- College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Qi Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Bo Zou
- College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Weibo Ren
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Yong Ding
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Ruigang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Xiangyang Hou
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
- * E-mail:
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20
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Jiang Y, Xu Z, Zhou G, Liu T. Elevated CO2 can modify the response to a water status gradient in a steppe grass: from cell organelles to photosynthetic capacity to plant growth. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2016; 16:157. [PMID: 27405416 PMCID: PMC4942890 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-016-0846-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The atmospheric CO2 concentration is rising continuously, and abnormal precipitation may occur more frequently in the future. Although the effects of elevated CO2 and drought on plants have been well reported individually, little is known about their interaction, particularly over a water status gradient. Here, we aimed to characterize the effects of elevated CO2 and a water status gradient on the growth, photosynthetic capacity, and mesophyll cell ultrastructure of a dominant grass from a degraded grassland. RESULTS Elevated CO2 stimulated plant biomass to a greater extent under moderate changes in water status than under either extreme drought or over-watering conditions. Photosynthetic capacity and stomatal conductance were also enhanced by elevated CO2 under moderate drought, but inhibited with over-watering. Severe drought distorted mesophyll cell organelles, but CO2 enrichment partly alleviated this effect. Intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) and total biomass water use efficiency (WUEt) were increased by elevated CO2, regardless of water status. Plant structural traits were also found to be tightly associated with photosynthetic potentials. CONCLUSION The results indicated that CO2 enrichment alleviated severe and moderate drought stress, and highlighted that CO2 fertilization's dependency on water status should be considered when projecting key species' responses to climate change in dry ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanling Jiang
- />State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Haidian Beijing, 100093 China
| | - Zhenzhu Xu
- />State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Haidian Beijing, 100093 China
| | - Guangsheng Zhou
- />State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Haidian Beijing, 100093 China
- />Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological Administration, 46 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Tao Liu
- />State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Haidian Beijing, 100093 China
- />Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological Administration, 46 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian Beijing, 100081 China
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21
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Xu Z, Jiang Y, Zhou G. Response and adaptation of photosynthesis, respiration, and antioxidant systems to elevated CO2 with environmental stress in plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:701. [PMID: 26442017 PMCID: PMC4564695 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that plant photosynthesis and respiration are two fundamental and crucial physiological processes, while the critical role of the antioxidant system in response to abiotic factors is still a focus point for investigating physiological stress. Although one key metabolic process and its response to climatic change have already been reported and reviewed, an integrative review, including several biological processes at multiple scales, has not been well reported. The current review will present a synthesis focusing on the underlying mechanisms in the responses to elevated CO2 at multiple scales, including molecular, cellular, biochemical, physiological, and individual aspects, particularly, for these biological processes under elevated CO2 with other key abiotic stresses, such as heat, drought, and ozone pollution, as well as nitrogen limitation. The present comprehensive review may add timely and substantial information about the topic in recent studies, while it presents what has been well established in previous reviews. First, an outline of the critical biological processes, and an overview of their roles in environmental regulation, is presented. Second, the research advances with regard to the individual subtopics are reviewed, including the response and adaptation of the photosynthetic capacity, respiration, and antioxidant system to CO2 enrichment alone, and its combination with other climatic change factors. Finally, the potential applications for plant responses at various levels to climate change are discussed. The above issue is currently of crucial concern worldwide, and this review may help in a better understanding of how plants deal with elevated CO2 using other mainstream abiotic factors, including molecular, cellular, biochemical, physiological, and whole individual processes, and the better management of the ecological environment, climate change, and sustainable development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Yanling Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Guangsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- Chinese Academy of Meteorological SciencesBeijing, China
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Man J, Shi Y, Yu Z, Zhang Y. Dry Matter Production, Photosynthesis of Flag Leaves and Water Use in Winter Wheat Are Affected by Supplemental Irrigation in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137274. [PMID: 26335019 PMCID: PMC4559388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 08/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Winter wheat is threatened by drought in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China, thus, effective water-saving irrigation practices are urgently required to maintain its high winter wheat production. This study was conducted from 2012 to 2014 to determine how supplemental irrigation (SI) affected soil moisture, photosynthesis, and dry matter (DM) production of winter wheat by measuring the moisture in 0-20 cm (W2), 0-40 cm (W3), and 0-60 cm (W4) soil profiles. Rainfed (W0) and local SI practice (W1, irrigation with 60 mm each at jointing and anthesis) treatments were designed as controls. The irrigation amount for W3 was significantly lower than that for W1 and W4 but higher than that for W2. The soil relative water content (SRWC) in 0-40 cm soil profiles at jointing after SI for W3 was significantly lower than that for W1 and W4 but higher than that for W2. W3 exhibited lower SRWC in 100-140 and 60-140 cm soil profiles at anthesis after SI and at maturity, respectively, but higher root length density in 60-100 cm soil profiles than W1, W2 and W4. Compared with W1, W2 and W4, photosynthetic and transpiration rates and stomatal conductance of flag leaves for W3 were significantly greater during grain filling, particularly at the mid and later stages. The total DM at maturity, DM in grain and leaves, post-anthesis DM accumulation and its contribution to grain and grain filling duration were higher for W3. The 1000-grain weight, grain yield and water use efficiency for W3 were the highest. Therefore, treatment of increasing SRWC in the 0-40 cm soil profiles to 65% and 70% field capacities at jointing and anthesis (W3), respectively, created a suitable soil moisture environment for winter wheat production, which could be considered as a high yield and water-saving treatment in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianguo Man
- Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, P.R. China
| | - Yu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, P.R. China
| | - Zhenwen Yu
- Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, P.R. China
| | - Yongli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, P.R. China
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Yan H, Liang C, Li Z, Liu Z, Miao B, He C, Sheng L. Impact of precipitation patterns on biomass and species richness of annuals in a dry steppe. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0125300. [PMID: 25906187 PMCID: PMC4407894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Annuals are an important component part of plant communities in arid and semiarid grassland ecosystems. Although it is well known that precipitation has a significant impact on productivity and species richness of community or perennials, nevertheless, due to lack of measurements, especially long-term experiment data, there is little information on how quantity and patterns of precipitation affect similar attributes of annuals. This study addresses this knowledge gap by analyzing how quantity and temporal patterns of precipitation affect aboveground biomass, interannual variation aboveground biomass, relative aboveground biomass, and species richness of annuals using a 29-year dataset from a dry steppe site at the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station. Results showed that aboveground biomass and relative aboveground biomass of annuals increased with increasing precipitation. The coefficient of variation in aboveground biomass of annuals decreased significantly with increasing annual and growing-season precipitation. Species richness of annuals increased significantly with increasing annual precipitation and growing-season precipitation. Overall, this study highlights the importance of precipitation for aboveground biomass and species richness of annuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Yan
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, State Environmental Protection, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Cunzhu Liang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhiyong Li
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhongling Liu
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Bailing Miao
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Meteorological Research Institute of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, China
| | - Chunguang He
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, State Environmental Protection, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Lianxi Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, State Environmental Protection, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Joseph T, Whitehead D, Turnbull MH. Soil water availability influences the temperature response of photosynthesis and respiration in a grass and a woody shrub. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2014; 41:468-481. [PMID: 32481006 DOI: 10.1071/fp13237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/28/2013] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Seedlings of the shrub kānuka (Kunzea ericoides var. ericoides (A. Rich) J. Thompson) and the pasture grass brown top (Agrostis capillarus L.) were grown in intact soil cores in climate-controlled cabinets to analyse the thermal response of leaf-level carbon exchange at four levels of volumetric soil water content (θ). The objective was to resolve the combined effects of relatively rapid and short-term changes in θ and temperature on the thermal responses of both photosynthesis and respiration in these two contrasting plant types. Results showed that θ had a greater effect on the short-term temperature response of photosynthesis than the temperature response of respiration. The optimum value of θ for net photosynthesis was around 30% for both plants. The photosynthetic capacity of kānuka and the grass declined significantly when θ fell below 20%. The temperature sensitivity of photosynthesis was low at low soil water content and increased at moderate to high soil water content in both plant types. Statistical analysis showed that the temperature sensitivity of photosynthetic parameters was similar for both plant types, but the sensitivity of respiratory parameters differed. Respiratory capacity increased with increasing soil water content in kānuka but declined significantly when θ fell below 15%. There was no significant influence of soil water content on respiratory capacity in the grass. Collectively, our results indicate that θ influenced the temperature sensitivity of photosynthesis and respiration, and altered the balance between foliar respiration and photosynthetic capacity in both plant types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Joseph
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | | | - Matthew H Turnbull
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
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Xu Z, Shimizu H, Ito S, Yagasaki Y, Zou C, Zhou G, Zheng Y. Effects of elevated CO₂, warming and precipitation change on plant growth, photosynthesis and peroxidation in dominant species from North China grassland. PLANTA 2014; 239:421-35. [PMID: 24463932 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-013-1987-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Warming, watering and elevated atmospheric CO₂-concentration effects have been extensively studied separately; however, their combined impact on plants is not well understood. In the current research, we examined plant growth and physiological responses of three dominant species from the Eurasian Steppe with different functional traits to a combination of elevated CO₂, high temperature, and four simulated precipitation patterns. Elevated CO₂ stimulated plant growth by 10.8-41.7 % for a C₃ leguminous shrub, Caragana microphylla, and by 33.2-52.3 % for a C₃ grass, Stipa grandis, across all temperature and watering treatments. Elevated CO₂, however, did not affect plant biomass of a C₄ grass, Cleistogenes squarrosa, under normal or increased precipitation, whereas a 20.0-69.7 % stimulation of growth occurred with elevated CO₂ under drought conditions. Plant growth was enhanced in the C₃ shrub and the C₄ grass by warming under normal precipitation, but declined drastically with severe drought. The effects of elevated CO₂ on leaf traits, biomass allocation and photosynthetic potential were remarkably species-dependent. Suppression of photosynthetic activity, and enhancement of cell peroxidation by a combination of warming and severe drought, were partly alleviated by elevated CO₂. The relationships between plant functional traits and physiological activities and their responses to climate change were discussed. The present results suggested that the response to CO₂ enrichment may strongly depend on the response of specific species under varying patterns of precipitation, with or without warming, highlighting that individual species and multifactor dependencies must be considered in a projection of terrestrial ecosystem response to climatic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Haidian, Beijing, 100093, People's Republic of China,
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Maestre FT, Salguero-Gómez R, Quero JL. It is getting hotter in here: determining and projecting the impacts of global environmental change on drylands. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 367:3062-75. [PMID: 23045705 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drylands occupy large portions of the Earth, and are a key terrestrial biome from the socio-ecological point of view. In spite of their extent and importance, the impacts of global environmental change on them remain poorly understood. In this introduction, we review some of the main expected impacts of global change in drylands, quantify research efforts on the topic, and highlight how the articles included in this theme issue contribute to fill current gaps in our knowledge. Our literature analyses identify key under-studied areas that need more research (e.g. countries such as Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Somalia, and deserts such as the Thar, Kavir and Taklamakan), and indicate that most global change research carried out to date in drylands has been done on a unidisciplinary basis. The contributions included here use a wide array of organisms (from micro-organisms to humans), spatial scales (from local to global) and topics (from plant demography to poverty alleviation) to examine key issues to the socio-ecological impacts of global change in drylands. These papers highlight the complexities and difficulties associated with the prediction of such impacts. They also identify the increased use of long-term experiments and multidisciplinary approaches as priority areas for future dryland research. Major advances in our ability to predict and understand global change impacts on drylands can be achieved by explicitly considering how the responses of individuals, populations and communities will in turn affect ecosystem services. Future research should explore linkages between these responses and their effects on water and climate, as well as the provisioning of services for human development and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando T Maestre
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain.
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