Subjects: Geosciences >> Geography submitted time 2024-03-01 Cooperative journals: 《干旱区研究》
Abstract： Xylem structure traits are the basis for plant adaptation to different water conditions and are core planttraits in response to changes in environmental conditions. The typical shrubs Reaumuria soongarica andCalligonum mongolicum in the northwest desert region were selected as the subjects for comparison betweenstem xylem structure and functional traits to understand the differences or similarities of different species in thesame habitat and the xylem structure plasticity of the same species under different environmental conditions. Theresults showed that (1) Xylem structure traits of R. soongarica and C. mongolicum were significantly different.The mean vessel diameter and vulnerability index of C. mongolicum were significantly higher than those of R.soongarica, whereas the opposite was true for vessel density and vessel grouping index. (2) The patterns ofxylem structure traits in response to climate change differed between R. soongarica and C. mongolicum. Themean vessel diameter and vessel thickness-to-span ratio of C. mongolicum significantly reduced with increasingmean annual precipitation and aridity index, whereas that of R. soongarica were unrelated, and only thetheoretical hydraulic conductivity had a significant positive correlation with the mean annual precipitation andaridity index. (3) There was a trade-off between efficiency and safety in the xylem hydraulic conductivity systemof R. soongarica, whereas none was observed in C. mongolicum. (4) The trait network analysis results indicatedthat the central traits of both R. soongarica and C. mongolicum were mean vessel diameters. Changes in meanvessel diameter mediate changes in the trait network. Xylem structure traits between R. soongarica and C.mongolicum were significantly different, with R. soongarica having a more conservative water use strategy thanC. mongolicum.
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