Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution pattern of Caragana species under the influence of climate gradient in the Inner Mongolia region, China

  • Published:
Journal of Arid Land Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There is a strong climate gradient in the Inner Mongolia region, China, with solar radiation and air temperature increasing but precipitation decreasing gradually from the northeast to the southwest. Sixteen Caragana species exist in the Inner Mongolia region. These Caragana species exhibit a distribution pattern across moisture zones and form a geographical replacement series. In order to examine the mechanisms responsible for Caragana species distribution pattern, we selected 12 Caragana species that exhibit a distinct distribution pattern across multiple moisture zones in the Inner Mongolia region, and determined the relationships between the leaf ecological and physiological traits of these Caragana species and the aridity index and solar radiation. Along with the climatic drought gradient and the solar radiation intensification from the northeast to the southwest, leaf ecological characteristics of Caragana species changed drastically, i.e. the leaf shape gradually turned from flat into tegular or tubbish; the leaf hair became denser, longer and lighter in color; the leaf area, leaf biomass and specific leaf area (SLA) decreased significantly; the leaf thickness and the ratio of leaf thickness to leaf area increased significantly; and the leaf chlorophyll content decreased significantly. As the climatic drought stress increased, osmotic potentials of the main osmotic adjustment substances and the cytoplasmic ion concentration of Caragana species increased significantly. Meanwhile, the total and free water contents and water potential of leaves decreased significantly; the ratio of bound to free water increased significantly; the stomatal conductance and transpiration rate reduced significantly; and the water use efficiency (WUE) increased significantly. In addition, with the intensification of climatic drought stress, peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in leaves increased significantly. As a result, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased while the oxygen free radical content decreased. Our results showed that most of the leaf ecological and physiological traits of the 12 Caragana species varied in accordance with the climatic drought gradient in the Inner Mongolia region, which reflected the adaptation of the Caragana species to the local climate conditions. With relatively more active metabolism and faster growth, the Caragana species in the northeast had strong competitive abilities; on the other hand, with stronger resistance to climatic drought stress, the Caragana species in the southwest could survive in harsh environments. Based on our results, we concluded that both the environmental gradients and the adaptive responses of Caragana species to their environments played important roles in the formation of the Caragana species distribution pattern across the Inner Mongolia region.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agarwal R, Chase S D. 2002. Rapid, fluorimetric-liquid chromatographic determination of malondialdehyde in biological samples. Journal of Chromatography B, 775: 121–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Saadi H, Wiebe H H. 1973. Survey of the matric water of various plant groups. Plant and Soil, 39: 253–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ares A, Fownes J H. 1999. Water supply regulates structure, productivity, and water use efficiency of Acacia koa forest in Hawaii. Oecologia, 121: 458–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beyer Jr W F, Fridovich I. 1987. Assaying for superoxide dismutase activity: Some large consequences of minor changes in conditions. Analytical Biochemistry, 161: 559–566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bongers F, Poorter L, Van Rompaey R S A P, et al. 1999. Distribution of twelve moist forest canopy tree species in Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire: response curves to a climatic gradient. Journal of Vegetation Science, 10: 371–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bors W, Saran M, Lengfelder E, et al. 1978. Detection of oxygen radicals in biological reactions. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 28: 629–637.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford M M. 1976. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Analytical Biochemistry, 72: 248–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buysse J, Merckx R. 1993. An improved colorimetric method to quantify sugar content of plant tissue. Journal of Experimental Botany, 44: 1627–1629.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabuslay G S, Ito O, Alejar A A. 2002. Physiological evaluation of responses of rice (Oryza sativa L.) to water deficit. Plant Science, 163: 815–827.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comita L S, Engelbrecht B M J. 2009. Seasonal and spatial variation in water availability drive habitat associations in a tropical forest. Ecology, 90: 2755–2765.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Odorico P, He Y F, Collins S, et al. 2013. Vegetation-microclimate feedbacks in woodland-grassland ecotones. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 22: 364–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eeley H A C, Lawes M J, Piper S E. 1999. The influence of climate change on the distribution of indigenous forest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Journal of Biogeography, 26: 595–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engelbrecht B M J, Comita L S, Condit R, et al. 2007. Drought sensitivity shapes species distribution patterns in tropical forests. Nature, 447: 80–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franca M G C, Thi A T P, Pimentel C, et al. 2000. Differences in growth and water relations among Phaseolus vulgaris cultivars in response to induced drought stress. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 43: 227–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldblith S A, Proctor B E. 1950. Photometric determination of catalase activity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 187: 705–709.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guicherd P, Peltier J P, Gout E, et al. 1997. Osmotic adjustment in Fraxinus excelsior L.: malate and mannitol accumulation in leaves under drought conditions. Trees, 11: 155–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo Z T, Sun B, Zhang Z S, et al. 2008. A major reorganization of Asian climate by the early Miocene. Climate Past, 4: 153–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson A D, Hitz W D. 1982. Metabolic responses of mesophytes to plant water deficits. Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 33: 163–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Z R. 2000. Probe into drought-resisting mechanism of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus (Maxim) Cheng F. Journal Desert Research, 20(1): 71–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • John R, Dalling J W, Harms K E, et al. 2007. Soil nutrients influence spatial distributions of tropical tree species. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104: 864–869.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Roux X, Bariac T. 1998. Seasonal variation in soil, grass and shrub water status in a West African humid savanna. Oecologia, 113: 456–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee Y P, Takahashi T. 1966. An improved colorimetric determination of amino acids with the use of ninhydrin. Analytical Biochemistry, 14: 71–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenthaler H K, Gitelson A, Lang M. 1996. Non-destructive determination of chlorophyll content of leaves of a green and an aurea mutant of tobacco by reflectance measurements. Journal of Plant Physiology, 148: 483–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lima A L S, DaMatta F M, Pinheiro H A, et al. 2002. Photochemical responses and oxidative stress in two clones of Coffea canephora under water deficit conditions. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 47: 239–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma C C, Gao Y B, Guo H Y, et al. 2003a. Interspecific transition between Caragana microphylla, C. davazamcii and C. korshinskii along geographic gradient. II. Characteristics of photosynthesis and water metabolism. Acta Botanica Sinica, 45(10): 1228–1237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma C C, Gao Y B, Liu H F, et al. 2003b. Interspecific transition between Caragana microphylla, C. davazamcii and C. korshinskii along geographic gradient. I. Ecological and RAPD evidence. Acta Botanica Sinica, 45(10): 1218–1227.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma C C, Gao Y B, Guo H Y, et al. 2008. Physiological adaptations of four dominant Caragana species in the desert region of the Inner Mongolia Plateau. Journal of Arid Environments, 72: 247–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma C C, Guo H Y, Li Q F, et al. 2012. Geographical variation of physiological and morphological traits among populations of three Caragana species in Inner Mongolia Steppe. Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, 10: 1233–1239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Machado S, Paulsen G M. 2001. Combined affects of drought and high temperature on water relations of wheat and sorghum. Plant and Soil, 233: 179–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marigo G, Peltier J P, Girel J, et al. 2000. Success in the demographic expansion of Fraxinus excelsior L. Trees, 15: 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marzinzig M, Nussler A K, Stadler J, et al. 1997. Improved methods to measure end products of nitric oxide in biological fluids: nitrite, nitrate, and S-nitrosothiols. Nitric Oxide, 1: 177–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie D, Peterson D W, Peterson D L, et al. 2003. Climatic and biophysical controls on conifer species distributions in mountain forests of Washington State, USA. Journal of Biogeography, 30: 1093–1108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meng M, Ni J, Zhang Z G. 2004. Aridity index and its applications in geo-ecological study. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica, 28(6): 853–861.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan J M. 1984. Osmoregulation and water stress in higher plants. Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 35: 299–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naveh D, Mizrahi S, Kopelman I J. 1981. Quantitative determination of peroxidase in sweet corn by chemiluminescence. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 29: 36–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmiotto P A, Davies S J, Vogt K A, et al. 2004. Soil-related habitat specialization in dipterocarp rain forest tree species in Borneo. Journal of Ecology, 92: 609–623.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patakas A, Nikolaou N, Zioziou E, et al. 2002. The role of organic solute and ion accumulation in osmotic adjustment in drought-stressed grapevines. Plant Science, 163: 361–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peltier J P, Marigo D, Marigo G. 1997. Involvement of malate and mannitol in the diurnal regulation of the water struts in members of oleaceae. Trees, 12: 27–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pintado A, Valladares F, Sancho L G. 1997. Exploring phenotypic plasticity in the lichen Ramalina capitata: morphology, water relations and chlorophyll content in north- and south-facing populations. Annals of Botany, 80: 345–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pissis P, Angnostopoulou-Konsta A, Apekis L. 1987. A dielectric study of the state of water in plant stems. Journal of Experimental Botany, 38: 1528–1540.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyke C R, Condit R, Aguilar S, et al. 2001. Floristic composition across a climatic gradient in a neotropical lowland forest. Journal of Vegetation Science, 12: 553–566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quarrie S A, Stojanović J, Pekić S. 1999. Improving drought resistance in small-grained cereals: A case study, progress and prospects. Plant Growth Regulation, 29: 1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Retuerto R, Carballeira A. 2004. Estimating plant responses to climate by direct gradient analysis and geographic distribution analysis. Plant Ecology, 170: 185–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez F J, Manzanares M, de Andres E F, et al. 1998. Turgor maintenance, osmotic adjustment and soluble sugar and proline accumulation in 49 pea cultivars in response to water stress. Field Crops Research, 59: 225–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schales O, Schales S S. 1941. A simple and accurate method for the determination of chloride in biological fluids. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 140: 879–884.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt C B, Senbeta F, Woldemariam T, et al. 2013. Importance of regional climates for plant species distribution patterns in moist Afromontane forest. Journal of Vegetation Science, 24: 553–568.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair W B, Bartholomew E T, Ramsey R C. 1945. Analysis of the organic acids of orange juice. Plant Physiology, 20: 3–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sollins P. 1998. Factors influencing species composition in tropical lowland rain forest: does soil matter? Ecology, 79: 23–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson J, Charpentier A, Bouguet G, et al. 2013. Evolution of a genetic polymorphism with climate change in a Mediterranean landscape. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110: 2893–2897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voronin P Y, Ivanova L A, Ronzhina D A, et al. 2003. Structural and functional changes in the leaves of plants from steppe communities as affected by aridization of the Eurasian climate. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology, 50: 604–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Li D Q. 2001. The accumulation of plant osmoticum and actived oxygen metablism under stress. Chinese Bulletin of Botany, 18(4): 459–465.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang M B, Li H J, Cai B F. 1996. Water ecophysiological characteristics of Caragana korshinskii. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica, 20(6): 494–501.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang M H, Guo Z D, Wang C G. 1987. Remote sensing explains about Inner Mongolia Municipality climate types. In: Chen K, Li B. Application Study on Remote Sensing in Inner Mongolia Pasture Resource. Huhehot: Inner Mongolia University Press, 46–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang W B, Ren J M, Jia C P. 1997. Studies on the relationship between physiological ecology of drought-resistance in Caragana korshinskii and soil water. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 17(3): 239–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M L, Fritsch P W. 2010. Evolutionary response of Caragana (Fabaceae) to Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau uplift and Asian interior aridification. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 288: 191–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Ma K, Chen L. 2003. Response of photosynthetic plasticity of Paeonia suffruticosa to changed light environment. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 49: 121–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Y Z. 1991. Classification and eco-geographical distribution of Caragana in Nei Mongol. Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitis Intramongolicae, 22(2): 264–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou D W. 1996. Study on distribution of the genus Caragana Fabr. Bulletin of Botanical Research, 16(4): 428–435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu H, Ma Y X, Yan L C, et al. 2007. The relationship between geography and climate in the generic-level patterns of Chinese seed plants. Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica, 45: 134–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu X Y, Wang S M, Zhang C L. 2003. Composition and characteristic differences in photosynthetic membranes of two ecotypes of reed (Phragmites comcommunis L.) from different habitats. Photosynthetica, 41: 97–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China

    LiNa Xie, ChengCang Ma, HongYu Guo, QingFang Li & YuBao Gao

  2. College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China

    YuBao Gao

Authors
  1. LiNa Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. ChengCang Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. HongYu Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. QingFang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. YuBao Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to ChengCang Ma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xie, L., Ma, C., Guo, H. et al. Distribution pattern of Caragana species under the influence of climate gradient in the Inner Mongolia region, China. J. Arid Land 6, 311–323 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-013-0227-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-013-0227-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation