Effect of rock fragments content on water consumption, biomass and water-use efficiency of plants under different water conditions

Abstract

The proportion of rock fragments in soil affects water availability and therefore the characteristics of plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of rock-fragment content on plant water consumption, biomass, growth and water-use efficiency (WUE) under different water conditions. Four gravimetric treatments of rock-fragment contents (0, 10, 30 and 50%) and four treatments of water content were tested in sandy loamy soils. The water contents of the rock-free soil were 15–19% (80–100% of field capacity), 11–15% (60–80% of field capacity), 9–11% (47–60% of field capacity) and 6–9% (32–47% of field capacity). Transpiration, plant height, basal stem diameter and biomass of korshinsk peashrubs in the treatments were measured and compared. Plants grown in the soil with rock fragments transpired less, especially under well-watered conditions. The mean daily transpiration of plants in the soils with 30 and 50% rock-fragment contents was 18% (P=0.021) and 34% (P=0.001) lower, respectively, in 2014, and 25% (P=0.008) and 31% (P=0.002) lower, respectively, in 2015 relative to the soil without rock fragments and was not lower in the soil with 10% rock fragments. Plant height, basal stem diameter and biomass did not differ significantly between rock-fragment contents of 0 and 30% but were lower at 50%. WUE, the ratio between total transpiration and biomass, was highest at 30% and then decreased at 50%. Increasing plant water stress could thus improve WUE. The rock fragments in the soil had significant effects on plant water consumption, biomass, growth and WUE. Optimizing the rock-fragment content is necessary when the relationships between plants and water in stony ecosystems are evaluated.