Response of leaf functional traits of woody plants in central Guizhou to
degraded karst soil characteristics
Abstract
1.In this study, the dominant woody plants in different degraded
background plots in Puding, Guizhou Province were selected as the
research objects. Six leaf functional traits(LT, LA, SLA, LDMC, LTD,
Chlc) were measured to analyze the effects of soil characteristics on
the leaf functional traits of vegetation in the region. 2.We observed
that under the degraded environment of karst area, the plant leaves
tended to increase, with the most significant change in the returned
land; There were significant differences in plant traits under
burning,burning felling and returning farmland, with the largest change
range of LA, LTD and SLA, which could reach 121.90%, 118.08% and
86.00% respectively in the corresponding sample plots. 3.In the
degraded plots, the leaf traits were significantly different among tree,
shrub and liana species. In general, the interspecific variation of
shrub and liana species was higher than that of tree species, and the
community was in the early and middle stage of succession. 4.Soil
properties under different degradation background were quite
different,and there was a significant correlation between soil
properties and vegetation leaf functional properties. Soil depth, soil
nutrients and soil humidity were the key soil characteristic factors of
plant leaf functional properties. 5.The results showed that the leaf
traits of plant in degraded area showed large LA,small LT, low SLA and
LTD, high LDMC and low Chlc, which tended to develop drought character
combination. This paper reveals the internal differentiation succession
law of degraded karst secondary forest in central Guizhou and provides
scientific basis for the management and biodiversity protection of karst
secondary forest.