Response and Adaptation of Leaf Functional Traits along Altitude Gradient in Evergreen and Deciduous Broad-leaved Mixed Forest in Xingdou Mountain of Hubei Province
WANG Liuyang
PANG Jingyan
ZHANG Keyan
Abstract：To investigate the trait response mechanisms of evergreen and deciduous tree species along different altitude gradients(1250～1650 meters),Hubei Xingdou Mountain National Nature Reserve was selected as the study area.A total of 230 plant samples(148 evergreen plant samples and 82 deciduous plant samples)were collected,involving 37 plant species.The leaf functional traits of different leaf habit tree species were measured for research.The results showed that chlorophyll was significantly positively correlated with leaf thickness(P<0.01),and leaf area was influenced by both leaf width(R2=0.64～0.79)and leaf length(R2=0.13～0.80),with evergreen tree species having a higher explanatory power for leaf area;The leaf thickness and chlorophyll content of evergreen plants were significantly higher than those of deciduous plants(P<0.001),while the leaf width and specific leaf area of deciduous plants were significantly larger(P<0.05);The overall chlorophyll content and the overall leaf thickness of deciduous plants decreased compared to evergreen plants.No significant changes were found in leaf width,length,leaf area,specific leaf area,and dry matter content across all altitude gradients.The study revealed that evergreen and deciduous tree species adapt to mountainous environments through a trade-off strategy:evergreen tree species maintain sustained photosynthetic capacity with thick leaves and high chlorophyll content,while deciduous tree species achieved rapid resource acquisition with wide leaves and high specific leaf area.This study provided a research basis for vegetation adaptation mechanisms in subtropical evergreen deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests.
Keywords：evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forestplant functional traitsaltitude gradientleaf habitslife strategy
Publication Date：2025-12-30
Online Publishing Date：2025-12-10(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 451-457 )