Abstract
Aims of the study: The most important trends of the current climate variability is the scarcity of rains that affects arid ecosystems. The aim of this study was to explore the variability of leaf functional traits by which grassland species survive and resist drought and to investigate the potential link between resource use efficiency and water scarcity resistance strategies of species. Methods: Three grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris (C4), Stipa parviflora and Stipa lagascae (C3)) were established in a randomized block consisting of eleven replications. The seedlings were kept under increasing levels of water stress. In addition to their functional leaf traits, the rate of water loss and dimensional shrinkage were also measured. Key Results: Thicker and denser leaves, with higher dry matter contents, low specific leaf area and great capacity of water retention are considered among the grasses’ strategies of dehydration avoidance. Significant differences between the means of the functional traits were obtained. Furthermore, strong correlations among leaf traits were also detected (Spearman’s r exceeding 0.8). Conclusions: The results provide evidence that the studied grasses respond differently to drought by exhibiting a range of interspecific functional strategies that may ameliorate the resilience of grassland species communities under extreme drought events.
Highlights
Arid land species communities are deeply dependent on soil hydrological balance and likely influenced by climate variability
The highest leaf dry matter contents (LDMC) was recorded in C. ciliaris water-stressed seedlings by about 155.04 g/m2 at T4 compared with the values already recorded in S. lagascae and S. parviflora that did not exceed 146 g/m2
C. ciliaris, S. parviflora and S. lagascae biological link connecting their ecophysiology and the environmental factors helps to draw several important estimations about how grassland species will react to climatic changes
Summary
Arid land species communities are deeply dependent on soil hydrological balance and likely influenced by climate variability. A deep understanding of the relationship between drought and grass leaf traits is a key to the selection and the utilization of the most suitable drought-resistant species. In this context, research allied to grass response to drought is becoming increasingly important to understand the functioning of the whole grass steppes, which are in regression [11]. (C3 and C4 ) for a comparative investigation of drought tolerance strategies using a comprehensive analysis of leaf traits under controlled environmental conditions Understanding these species functional traits expression helps to discover plant resources use strategies in arid steppes face to drought condition and their chance to survive under the future climate change. (i) Which of the three grasses have the capacity for drought tolerance under different water stress levels? (ii) What are the possible different responses of the C3 and the C4 species and what is the magnitude of their aptitude of adaptation to different levels of water availability? (iii) To what extent can these species survive the future climate conditions?
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