Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (3): 425-435.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.03.09

• Plant Ecology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Variation in the leaf functional traits of typical desert shrubs under precipitation gradient

LI Rui(),SHAN Lishan(),XIE Tingting,MA Li,YANG Jie,LI Quangang   

  1. College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2022-08-12 Revised:2022-09-30 Online:2023-03-15 Published:2023-03-31

Abstract:

Natural precipitation is an important source of water for vegetation in arid areas. To explore the coping methods of desert shrubs under different precipitation conditions, this study selected typical desert shrubs as subject and determined their leaf morphological traits and stoichiomental characteristics under different precipitation condition. The overall characteristics of leaf functional traits and the relationship between individual functional properties and environmental factors were also analyzed. Results showed that (1) with the decrease in natural precipitation, the degree of fleshiness and water content of leaves of Reaumuria soongorica increased gradually and the tissue density of Kalidium foliatum increased. (2) Meanwhile, the C contents in the leaves of R. soongorica and Nitraria tangutorum and the N contents in the leaves of N. tangutorum and Salsola passerina showed an overall increasing trend with the increase in drought stress. In addition, the leaf N:P ratios of S. passerina and K. foliatum were all less than 14, indicating that the growth and development of these species were mainly restricted by nitrogen. (3) The leaf tissue density of R. soongorica, N. tangutorum, and K. foliatum was positively correlated with the average annual precipitation. The specific leaf area of R. soongorica and N. tangutorum and the P content of R soongorica, N. tangutorum, and S. passerina were negatively correlated with altitude. In arid environments, different plants exhibit different ecological adaptation strategies. To adapt to the desert environment of drought and less rainfall, K. foliatum reduces its specific leaf area and increases its tissue density, N. tangutorum increases the N content of its leaves, and R. soongorica increases the degree of fleshiness and water content of its leaves. Average annual precipitation and altitude are the main limiting factors affecting their growth and development.

Key words: leaf morphological trait, stoichiometric index, environmental factors, precipitation gradient