Li Wangjun, Zhang Wanchang, Feng Tu, Lv Dongpeng, Zou Shun, He Bin, Bai Xiaolong
Guizhou Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation and Restoration Guizhou University of Engineering Science Bijie Guizhou China.
Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science, Aerospace Information Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China.
Ecol Evol. 2025 Feb 1;15(2):e70916. doi: 10.1002/ece3.70916. eCollection 2025 Feb.
is a distinctive plant species endemic to China, predominantly found in areas affected by varying degrees of rocky desertification. Despite its wide distribution, the physiological mechanisms underlying its adaptation to harsh environments remain unclear. In this study, we investigated 16 leaf traits, including the morphological, anatomical, and chemical characteristics of the leaves of across forests with mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe rocky desertification to elucidate the adaptive strategies of in response to arid conditions and nutrient-poor soils. Our findings revealed that leaves from forests with mild and moderate rocky desertification exhibited higher specific leaf area (SLA) and magnesium concentrations but lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC), abaxial epidermis thickness, and adaxial epidermis thickness than in those from forests with severe and extremely severe desertification. Principal component analysis indicated that forests with mild to moderate desertification employ resource acquisition strategies characterized by greater SLA and magnesium concentrations than those in forests with severe and extremely severe desertification. In contrast, forests with severe to extremely severe desertification adopted resource-conserving strategies, as evidenced by higher LDMC, epidermal thickness, and calcium concentrations than those in forests with mild to moderate desertification. The N:P ratio of across all desertification levels was consistently below 14, suggesting nitrogen limitation in in regions with rocky desertification. Thus, these results provide valuable reference for guiding vegetation restoration under degraded habitats.
是中国特有的一种独特植物物种，主要分布在受不同程度石漠化影响的地区。尽管其分布广泛，但其适应恶劣环境的生理机制仍不清楚。在本研究中，我们调查了16种叶片性状，包括轻度、中度、重度和极重度石漠化森林中该植物叶片的形态、解剖和化学特征，以阐明该植物应对干旱条件和贫瘠土壤的适应策略。我们的研究结果表明，轻度和中度石漠化森林中的该植物叶片比重度和极重度石漠化森林中的叶片具有更高的比叶面积（SLA）和镁浓度，但叶片干物质含量（LDMC）、下表皮厚度和上表皮厚度更低。主成分分析表明，轻度至中度石漠化森林采用以比叶面积和镁浓度更高为特征的资源获取策略，而重度至极重度石漠化森林则采用资源节约策略，表现为重度至极重度石漠化森林中的叶片干物质含量、表皮厚度和钙浓度高于轻度至中度石漠化森林。所有石漠化水平下该植物的氮磷比始终低于14，表明石漠化地区该植物存在氮限制。因此，这些结果为指导退化生境下的植被恢复提供了有价值的参考。
