Response of photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency in Betula utilis to altitudinal variation along Balang Mountain, Sichuan, China

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2019 Mar;30(3):751-758. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201903.032.

Abstract
in English, Chinese

To better understand the response and adaptation of plants to altitudinal changes, four sites at the altitude of 2200 m, 2500 m, 3100 m and 3400 m on Balang Mountain were selected to test and calculate the eco-physiological parameters in leaves of Betula utilis, including photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE), CO2 diffusion conductance (stomatal conductance gs and mesophyll conductance gm) and nitrogen allocation in each component (fractions of leaf nitrogen allocated to Rubisco PR, to bioenergetics PB, to light-harvesting components PL, and to cell wall PCW). Their changes with altitudinal variations and the relationships between leaf PNUE and the other parameters were analyzed. The results showed that PNUE, PR, and PB of the leaves were relatively higher at 2500 m and 3100 m. With the increases of altitude, gs and gm increased and PL decreased. The correlations between PR, PB and PNUE were significant, indicating that PR and PB were the main factors driving the changes in leaf PNUE in response to altitudinal variations. Besides, the fraction of leaf nitrogen allocated to photosynthetic apparatus (PP) was relatively higher at 2500 m and 3100 m. With increasing altitude, PCW decreased and the fraction of leaf nitrogen allocated to the other components (Pother) increased, which suggested that B. utilis leaves tended to allocate more nitrogen to the other components instead of the photosynthetic apparatus and cell wall with the increasing altitude to well adapt environmental changes.

为深入认识植物对环境变化的响应和适应,以分布在川西巴郎山的糙皮桦为研究对象,选择海拔2200、2500、3100和3400 m 4个分布点,测定计算了各分布点叶片光合氮利用效率(PNUE)、CO2扩散导度(叶肉细胞导度gm与气孔导度gs)和氮分配比例(Rubisco氮分配比例PR、生物力能学组分氮分配比例PB、捕光组分氮分配比例PL与细胞壁氮分配比例PCW)等参数,分析了其沿海拔的变化趋势以及叶片PNUE与其他参数的相关关系.结果表明: 糙皮桦叶片PNUE、PR和PB在海拔2500和3100 m相对较高;叶片gs和gm则随海拔升高而增加,PL随海拔升高而降低.糙皮桦叶片PR和PB与PNUE呈显著正相关关系,说明PR和PB是PNUE随海拔变异的重要内部因素.糙皮桦叶片光合系统氮分配比例PP在海拔2500和3100 m相对较高,叶片PCW随海拔升高而降低,叶片其他组分氮分配比例Pother随海拔升高而增加,说明随海拔的升高,糙皮桦叶片趋向将更大比例的氮分配于除光合系统和细胞壁外的其他组分中.

Keywords: Betula utilis; CO 2 diffusion conductance; altitude; nitrogen allocation fraction; photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency.

MeSH terms

  • Betula*
  • China
  • Nitrogen*
  • Photosynthesis
  • Plant Leaves
  • Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase

Substances

  • Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase
  • Nitrogen