What Drives the Morphological Traits of Stress-Tolerant Plant Cynodon dactylon in a Riparian Zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Abstract

The cyclical process of water storage and recession in the regular operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir creates a unique habitat stress that alters the structural and functional attributes of vegetation ecology within the riparian zone. The stress-tolerant plant Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers is the dominant plant species in the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir. In this study, the riparian zone of the Daning River, a tributary located in the center of the Three Gorges Reservoir, was selected as our study area. To identify the drivers of the morphological traits of C. dactylon in the riparian zone of Daning River, we examined plant biomass and plant characteristics across different elevation gradients, with reference to abiotic factors to determine the distribution patterns of plant morphological traits. Results indicated that in the two main soil types of the riparian zone, plant biomass showed a consistent trend along the elevation gradient, with a “middle-height expansion” pattern; biomass increased and then decreased with rising water levels. Plant biomass positively correlated with soil total nitrogen and negatively correlated with soil pH, electrical conductivity, and total phosphorus. C. dactylon adapted to prolonged flooding in the riparian zone by having a significant negative correlation between plant height and erect stem length with soil moisture content to facilitate root respiration.