Adaptational responses of leaf functional traits of Dicranopteris dichotoma to environmental factors in different vegetational restoration stages

Abstract

Environmental factors have a regulatory effect on plant leaf functional traits, affecting ecosystems' functions and processes. Due to special adaptive strategies, Dicranopteris dichotoma can occupy an important ecological niche at different vegetational restoration stages related to changes in leaf functional characteristics. This study was conducted to explore the changes in leaf functional traits and their responses to environmental factors in four different vegetational restoration stages in the red soil erosion area at Changting, Fujian. We measured 11 leaf functional traits and 13 environmental factors. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the differences in environment, soil factors, and leaf functional traits at different vegetation restoration stages. Redundancy analysis and partial least squares model were used to analyze the main factors affecting leaf functional traits. The results depicted that with the succession of the vegetational restoration stage, environmental factors and the functional traits of leaves exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05). The results depicted that with the succession of the vegetational restoration stage, environmental factors and the functional traits of leaves exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05). Available potassium (AK), humidity, and canopy density were positively correlated with specific leaf area, total phosphorus (TP), and chlorophyll content. In contrast, they negatively correlated with leaf dry matter content, relative water content, thickness, and leaf tissue density. Total nitrogen (TN) and organic matter were positively correlated with the N content of leaves. TP, temperature, and total potassium (TK) were positively correlated with leaf tissue density and negatively correlated with chlorophyll content. Light intensity was positively correlated with leaf dry matter content, relative water content, and leaf thickness. Plants regulate different functional characteristics according to environmental differentiation to form the best combination of traits, maximize resource use and avoid adverse effects, improve habitat suitability, and expand the ecological range. In conclusion, leaf functional traits of D. dichotoma could make up for the deficiency of habitat through certain trait variations and trait combinations, as well as the interaction with environmental factors, and better adapt to the environment of different vegetational restoration stages.

Keywords

• Pteridophyte
• Canopy
• Forest margin
• Partial least squares model
• Red soil erosion area
• Southern China