[1]WANG Hongxia,WEN Zhongming,GAO Guoxiong,et al.Comparative Studies on Plant Functional Traits of Leaf and Fine Root Between Robinia pseudoacacia and Local Plant Community in Hilly-Gully Region of the Loess Plateau, China[J].Research of Soil and Water Conservation,2016,23(01):1-7.
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Research of Soil and Water Conservation[ISSN 1005-3409/CN 61-1272/P] Volume:
23
Number of periods:
2016 01
Page number:
1-7
Column:
Public date:
2016-02-28
- Title:
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Comparative Studies on Plant Functional Traits of Leaf and Fine Root Between Robinia pseudoacacia and Local Plant Community in Hilly-Gully Region of the Loess Plateau, China
- Author(s):
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WANG Hongxia1, WEN Zhongming1,2,3, GAO Guoxiong1,2, QI Dehui2, GUO Ru3, YANG Shisuo1
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1. Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China;
2. College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China;
3. Research Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
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- Keywords:
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plant functional traits; Robinia pseudoacacia; local plant community; hilly Loess Plateau; adaptive strategies
- CLC:
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Q948
- DOI:
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- Abstract:
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Plant functional trait is an important medium to express the relationships between plants and environment. The difference in functional traits among different species decides their competitiveness in a community, affecting the structure, function and development of the community. We selected artificial forest of Robinia pseudoacacia and local plant community in forest-steppe zone in hilly-gully region in Loess Plateau, and compared the differences of the functional traits between Robinia pseudoacacia and local plant community under different site conditions and clarified their adaptive strategies to local environment. The results showed that: (1) within the same slope aspect, there was a significant difference in the nitrogen content of leaf, carbon and nitrogen contents of root, specific leaf area, leaf tissue density and specific root length between Robinia pseudoacacia and local plant community (p < 0.05) while the phosphorous content of root and the root tissue density showed significant difference only in the north-facing slope (p < 0.05), the function of man-made forest of Robinia pseudoacacia character values was higher than the local plant community (except leaf tissue density, root tissue density and phosphorus content of root, under the same slope position, the carbon and nitrogen contents, specific leaf area and specific root length of Robinia pseudoacacia were significantly higher than those of the local plant community; (2) the soil carbon and nitrogen contents of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation were lower than those of the local plant community in south- and north-facing slopes, and the soil phosphorus content was higher than that of the local plant communities in the south-facing slope, and opposite in north-facing slope, the soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus contents of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation and local plant community between slope positions were not significantly different(p > 0.05), under different slope positions, only soil carbon content of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation and local plant community showed significant difference (p < 0.05); (3) soil moisture content of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation is lower than local plant community. In the arid environment, Robinia pseudoacacia had the higher leaf and root nutrients, and higher SLA and SRL, showing a higher competitive ability for soil water and nutrient use. Local plant community had smaller specific leaf area, larger leaf and root tissue density to maintain the balance of water and nutrients, forming adaptive strategies to local environment. However, local plant community had the lower competitiveness for water and nutrients compared with Robinia pseudoacacia. Therefore, we should fully consider the adaptability of species to the environment and effect of the adaptability on species growth, the balance between the species adaptability to environment and their health growth should be maintained in vegetation restoration in the loess hilly-gully region.