Durán Jorge, Moreira Xoaquín, Correia Marta, Cao Ana, Serôdio Joana, Rodríguez-Echeverría Susana, Rodríguez Alexandra
Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain.
Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
PLoS One. 2025 Sep 10;20(9):e0330638. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330638. eCollection 2025.
Specialized plant metabolism, particularly phenolic compound production, contributes significantly to the functioning and resilience of mountain ecosystems. Livestock grazing can influence phenolic production, with its effects varying depending on microclimatic factors and soil conditions. Despite the ecological significance of this process, the impact of livestock grazing on phenolic production in alpine plants remains insufficiently explored. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a field experiment to investigate the individual and combined effects of site elevation and experimental grazing exclusion on phenolic compound production in Nardus stricta plants. After two growing seasons, we collected leaf samples to quantify phenolic diversity and concentration. Site elevation significantly affected phenolic richness and flavonoid concentrations, with higher levels at the highest elevation compared to lower sites. However, livestock grazing exclusion had no significant impact on phenolic concentration, diversity, or any interactions between grazing exclusion and site elevation across sites. This study enhances understanding of plant chemistry and responses to stressors, offering insights into plant adaptations to environmental and land-use changes.
特殊的植物代谢，尤其是酚类化合物的产生，对山地生态系统的功能和恢复力有显著贡献。牲畜放牧会影响酚类物质的产生，其影响因微气候因素和土壤条件而异。尽管这一过程具有生态意义，但牲畜放牧对高山植物酚类物质产生的影响仍未得到充分研究。为了填补这一知识空白，我们进行了一项田间实验，以研究海拔高度和实验性放牧排除对硬羊茅植物酚类化合物产生的单独和综合影响。经过两个生长季节，我们采集了叶片样本以量化酚类物质的多样性和浓度。海拔高度显著影响酚类物质的丰富度和黄酮类化合物的浓度，与较低海拔相比，最高海拔处的水平更高。然而，排除牲畜放牧对酚类物质的浓度、多样性或各地点放牧排除与海拔高度之间的任何相互作用均无显著影响。这项研究增进了我们对植物化学及其对应激源反应的理解，为植物对环境和土地利用变化的适应性提供了见解。
