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Effects of submergence on photosynthesis and growth of Pterocarya stenoptera (Chinese wingnut) seedlings in the recently-created Three Gorges Reservoir region of China

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Abstract

Chinese wingnut (Pterocarya stenoptera) is the dominant native tree species in the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir region of China. Water treatments of continuous wet soil (WS) and submergence of the soil (SS) were imposed on 4-month-old Chinese wingnut seedlings for 12 months. The effects of water treatment on photosynthesis and growth were investigated after 2 and 12 months compared to a control (C). Submergence of the soil resulted in significant reductions in net photosynthetic rate (Pn), and stomatal conductance (g s) as compared to C. However, stomatal conductance in wet soil treatment was maintained comparable to that of C, although net photosynthetic rate was reduced significantly. Overall, intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE i ) under submergence of the soil was not significantly different from that of C, but significantly higher than that of the wet soil treatment. The intrinsic water use efficiency in the wet soil treatment was also significantly decreased compared to that in the control. During the entire experiment, growth and biomass of Chinese wingnut seedlings were significantly reduced due to adverse impacts of the submergence of the soil or wet soil treatment. These results suggest that Chinese wingnut seedlings less than 1-year-old would probably need intensive soil water management for sound growth. In the Three Gorges Reservoir region, adequate draining activities should be considered for this species’ regeneration.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financed by the Key Project of Chongqing Natural Science Foundation Program (Program number: CSTC-2008BA7032), and partially funded by the Basic Research Fund for State Owned Universities (Program number: XDJK2009B032), the Doctoral Research Fund of Southwest University (Program number: SWU109020), the 948 Program of State Forestry Administration (Program number: 2008-4-45), Key Laboratory for the Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region of the Ministry of Education, and Chongqing Key Laboratory for the Protection and Restoration of Forest Ecology of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region. Special thanks to Professor Keith Hjortshoj of Cornell University of the US for his invaluable comments on earlier drafts. We are also indebted to Professor Marinus J. A. Werger of Utrecht University, The Netherlands and Professor James Lassoie of Cornell University, USA for critically reading the manuscript. The four anonymous reviewers and Editor in Chief Dr. E. Wolanski are greatly appreciated for their thoughtful and insightful comments that helped us to improve our manuscript significantly. The authors would also like to thank the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program which provided logistic support during writing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for the Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, 400715, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China

    Chang-Xiao Li & Hong Wei

  2. Chongqing Key Laboratory for the Protection and Restoration of Forest Ecology of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Chongqing Forestry Research Institute, 400036, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China

    Chang-Xiao Li & Yang-Hui Geng

  3. Department of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Rebecca Schneider

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  1. Chang-Xiao Li
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  2. Hong Wei
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  3. Yang-Hui Geng
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  4. Rebecca Schneider
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Correspondence to Chang-Xiao Li.

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Li, CX., Wei, H., Geng, YH. et al. Effects of submergence on photosynthesis and growth of Pterocarya stenoptera (Chinese wingnut) seedlings in the recently-created Three Gorges Reservoir region of China. Wetlands Ecol Manage 18, 485–494 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-010-9181-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-010-9181-3

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