Abstract
Drought is the major factor that limits vegetation recovery in rocky desertification areas. The leaf carbon isotope (δ13C) value is related to plant water-use efficiency (WUE) and is of great significance in revealing the WUE characteristics of species in karst areas. Measurements of the δ13C value in plant leaves and the nutrient and water contents of lithologic soils were obtained for six woody species (cypress, Cupressus funebris Endl.; mansur shrub, Coriaria nepalensis Wall.; camphor, Cinnamomum bodinieri Levl.; birch, Betula luminifera H. Winkl.; alder, Alnus cremastogyne Burk. and dyetree, Platycarya longipes Wu.) planted in three different lithologic soil types (dolomite, dolomite sandstone, limestone) in the karst area of Guizhou Province. The results showed that C. funebris in the dolomite sandstone soil had the highest δ13C value (−27.19‰), whereas C. bodinieri in the limestone soil had the lowest δ13C value (−31.50‰). In terms of lithology, the average leaf δ13C values were −28.66‰ (dolomitic sandstone), −28.83‰ (dolomite), and −29.46‰ (limestone). The δ13C values of C. funebris and A. cremastogyne were significantly lower in the limestone soil than in the dolomite and dolomite sandstone soil, indicating that the WUE of some tree species is affected by soil conditions under different lithological development processes. Moreover, the relationship between the δ13C value in the leaves and the comprehensive soil conditions varied among the species, and the δ13C value was negatively correlated with the soil water content in all three soil types. Our study provides basic data on the composition characteristics of the δ13C value of tree species, which is beneficial for the selection of tree species for vegetation restoration and afforestation in karst areas.
Highlights
Karst landforms are characterized by high rates of rock exposure, a thin soil layer, and discontinuous soil cover [1]
C. funebris and A. cremastogyne were significantly lower in the limestone soil than in the dolomite and dolomite sandstone soil, indicating that the water-use efficiency (WUE) of some tree species is affected by soil conditions under different lithological development processes
C. bodinieri, C. funebris, and C. nepalensis occur in all three lithologic soils; A. cremastogyne and B. luminifera are distributed in dolomite and limestone soils; P. longipes grows in the dolomite sandstone and limestone lithologic soils
Summary
Karst landforms are characterized by high rates of rock exposure, a thin soil layer, and discontinuous soil cover [1]. No research has been reported on the δ13 C value and the WUE of plant species from different lithologic habitats in karst areas. Dolomite and dolomite sandstone account for 42.73%, 17.31% and 6.59%, respectively, of the total carbonate area in Guizhou Province, and they are the largest rock types in the karst area of this province [22]. Dyetree, Platycarya longipes Wu.) planted in three major lithologic soil types (dolomite, dolomite sandstone, limestone) in the karst district of Guizhou Province were selected because they are the dominant species in the plant community. The δ13 C values in the leaves of the selected species and the soil water and nutrient contents were measured, which provides a scientific basis for selecting the most suitable tree species for ecological restoration in different lithologic rocky desertification areas
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