Some observations of the adaptations of sandy shrubs to the arid environment in the Mu Us Sandland: leaf water relations and anatomic features

Abstract

In the Mu Us Sandland of China, a diversity of native shrubs make-up an important part of the local vegetation. Based on leaf water relations and anatomy, we show that the water-spending/water-saving paradigm is applicable to assess the drought adaptations of the shrubs. The water spenders showed a more mesic leaf anatomy, higher osmotic potential, lower cell wall rigidity, and moderate drop of leaf water potential with increasing water deficit, such as Hedysarum mongolicum,Salix psammophila and Artemisia sphaerocephala; whereas the water savers showed the opposite, such asTetraena mongolica , Zygophyllum xanthoxylon and Sabina vulgaris. This scheme could also be useful to interpret the ecology of other species under investigation.