Journal Article

Leaf functional traits and ecological strategies of common plant species in evergreen broad-leaved forests on Huangshan Mountain

Xie, Lei, Lv, Ting, Wang, Lu, Wang, Ningjie, Chen, Shuifei, Fang, Yanming, Ding, Hui

2024

Overview

The survival strategy of plants is to adjust their functional traits to adapt to the environment. However, these traits and survival strategies of evergreen broad-leaved forest species are not well understood. This study examined 10 leaf functional traits (LFTs) of 70 common plant species in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in Huangshan Mountain to decipher their adaptive strategies. The phylogenetic signals of these LFTs were assessed and phylogenetically independent contrasts (PIC) and correlation analyses were carried out. LFTs were analyzed to determine their CSR (C: competitor, S: stress-tolerator, R: ruderal) strategies. The results show that plant species exhibit different leaf functional traits and ecological strategies (nine strategies were identified; the most abundant were S/CS and S/CSR strategies). Some traits showed significant phylogenetic signals, indicating the effect of phylogeny on LFTs to an extent. Trait variations among species suggest distinct adaptation strategies to environmental changes. The study species were mainly clustered on the C-S strategy axis, with a high S component. Species leaning toward the C-strategy end (e.g., deciduous species), favored a resource acquisition strategy characterized by higher specific leaf area (SLA), greater nutrient contents (N and P), lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and reduced nutrient utilization efficiency (C: N and C: P). Conversely, species closer to the S-strategy end (e.g., evergreen species) usually adopted a resource conservative strategy with trait combinations contrary to those of C-strategy species. Overall, this study corroborated the applicability of the CSR strategy at a local scale and provides insights into the varied trait combinations and ecological strategies employed by plant species to adapt to their environment. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in biodiversity maintenance.

• Publisher: Springer Nature Singapore,Springer,Springer Nature B.V,Co-Innovation Centre for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China,College of Life Sciences,Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration On Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation,Nanjing Forestry University,Nanjing 210037,People's Republic of China%Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Sericulture,Ankang University,Ankang 725099,People's Republic of China%Research Centre for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity,State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory On Biosafety,Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences,Ministry of Ecology and Environment,Nanjing,People's Republic of China
• Subject: Analysis / Biodiversity / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Coniferous forests / Correlation analysis / deciduous forests / Dry matter / Environmental changes / evergreen trees / Evolution / Flowers & plants / Forestry / Forests / Leaf area / leaf dry matter content / Leaves / Life Sciences / Morphology / Mountains / Nutrient content / Nutrient utilization / Original Paper / Phylogenetics / Phylogeny / Physiology / Plant species / Precipitation / Species / specific leaf area / Survival / Vegetation