Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (1): 198-206.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.01.21

• Plant and Plant Physiology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Physiological and biochemical characteristics and adaptability of Tamarix taklamakanensis in different ecological habitats in the Tarim Basin

SU Zhihao1(),ZHOU Xiaobing1,JIANG Xiaolong2,WANG Liuqiang3,GONG Yanming1,KANG Xiaoshan1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    2. Laboratory of Forestry Genetics, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
    3. State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
  • Received:2020-04-03 Revised:2020-05-18 Online:2021-01-15 Published:2021-03-05

Abstract:

Tamarix taklamakanensis is a tree endemic to China and it is the most drought-resistant species in drifting sand dunes within the Tarim Basin. It plays an important role in sand fixation and desert prevention. We selected populations in three different habitats (green belt near the desert road, gravelly desert in riverbed, and drift sand dunes) to quantify the water status, chlorophyll contents, antioxidant enzyme activities, and osmotic adjustment substances contents. We evaluated the species’ physiological and biochemical characteristics in different habitats and its adaptive mechanisms to deal with extreme drought conditions. In soils with low moisture content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, peroxidase (POD) activities, total antioxidant capacity, and soluble protein contents increased, whereas catalase (CAT) and nitrate reductase (NR) activities decreased. In the driest drift sand dune habitat, the population had highest chlorophyll a and soluble sugar contents. Under drought stress, T. taklamakanensis increased SOD and POD activities and total antioxidant capacity, while it decreased CAT and NR activities to maintain the metabolic balance of reactive oxygen. It increased soluble protein, soluble sugar, and malondialdehyde to maintain high osmotic adjustment ability for resisting drought environments.

Key words: Tamarix taklamakanensis, antioxidant enzyme activities, osmotic adjustment substances, ecological adaptability