Functional Trait Trade-Offs for the Tropical Montane Rain Forest Species Responding to Light from Simulating Experiments
Joint Authors
Shao, Hongbo
Yu, Junbao
Mao, Peili
Zang, Runguo
Source
Issue
Vol. 2014, Issue 2014 (31 Dec. 2014), pp.1-9, 9 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2014-06-11
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
9
Main Subjects
Medicine
Information Technology and Computer Science
Abstract EN
Differences among tropical tree species in survival and growth to light play a key role in plant competition and community composition.
Two canopy species with contrasting functional traits dominating early and late successional stages, respectively, in a tropical montane rain forest of Hainan Island, China, were selected in a pot experiment under 4 levels of light intensity (full, 50%, 30%, and 10%) in order to explore the adaptive strategies of tropical trees to light conditions.
Under each light intensity level, the pioneer species, Endospermum chinense (Euphorbiaceae), had higher relative growth rate (RGR), stem mass ratio (SMR), specific leaf area (SLA), and morphological plasticity while the shade tolerant climax species, Parakmeria lotungensis (Magnoliaceae), had higher root mass ratio (RMR) and leaf mass ratio (LMR).
RGR of both species was positively related to SMR and SLA under each light level but was negatively correlated with RMR under lower light (30% and 10% full light).
The climax species increased its survival by a conservative resource use strategy through increasing leaf defense and root biomass investment at the expense of growth rate in low light.
In contrast, the pioneer increased its growth by an exploitative resource use strategy through increasing leaf photosynthetic capacity and stem biomass investment at the expense of survival under low light.
There was a trade-off between growth and survival for species under different light conditions.
Our study suggests that tree species in the tropical rainforest adopt different strategies in stands of different successional stages.
Species in the earlier successional stages have functional traits more advantageous to grow faster in the high light conditions, whereas species in the late successional stages have traits more favorable to survive in the low light conditions.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Mao, Peili& Zang, Runguo& Shao, Hongbo& Yu, Junbao. 2014. Functional Trait Trade-Offs for the Tropical Montane Rain Forest Species Responding to Light from Simulating Experiments. The Scientific World Journal،Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-9.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1050498
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Mao, Peili…[et al.]. Functional Trait Trade-Offs for the Tropical Montane Rain Forest Species Responding to Light from Simulating Experiments. The Scientific World Journal No. 2014 (2014), pp.1-9.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1050498
American Medical Association (AMA)
Mao, Peili& Zang, Runguo& Shao, Hongbo& Yu, Junbao. Functional Trait Trade-Offs for the Tropical Montane Rain Forest Species Responding to Light from Simulating Experiments. The Scientific World Journal. 2014. Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-9.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1050498
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-1050498