[Responses of delta13 C values of plant leaves to environmental gradients along environmental gradient factors in rocky desertified area of a typical karst Ggorge].
We analyzed the responses of delta13 C values of plant leaves to environmental factors (namely, soil water storage, air relative humidity, light intensity, depths of soil, soil organic content, average temperature and soil water content) and the correlations between them, by measuring delta13 C values of leaves for 11 plants species from 4 typical communities with different karst rocky desertification backgrounds in a typical karst catchments basin, Huajiang Gorge. It is revealed that, the delta13 C values and water use efficient of most species decrease with the increasing of water supply; but a few species exhibit an opposite trend and several others exhibit no change in delta13 C values or water use efficiency when these environmental factors varied. Moreover, the correlation analysis indicates that the soil water storage is the leading factor for Pistacia weinmannifolia, Mallotus repandus and Alchornea trewioides, while the depths of soil is essential factor for Nephrolepis cordifolia and Mallotus japonicus var. floccosus, and the light intensity is leading factor for N. cordifolia, Alangium chinense, Broussonetia papyrifera. However, the leading factor for some species like Rapanea kwangsiensis, Sapium rotundifolium and Cipadessa cinerascens are yet not clear, which mean their delta13 C values are affected by more comprehensive factors. Hence it could be concluded that high delta13 C values of leaves could indicate the adaptability of plants for low water regime, high light and low resource environments.
Rong
Li
L
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China. ronglit@163.com
Wang
Shi-Jie
SJ
Du
Xue-Lian
XL
D031623:Broussonetia / Q000378:metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003889:Desert Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D019665:Euphorbiaceae / Q000378:metabolism; D027927:Pistacia / Q000378:metabolism; D063245:Plant Development; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002244:Carbon