厦门大学学报（自然科学版）2025，Vol.64Issue(3)：394-402,9.DOI:10.6043/j.issn.0438-0479.202410010
立枯物对互花米草湿地生境及其生长和繁殖的影响
Effects of standing litter on wetland habitat and the growth and reproduction of Spartina alterniflora
摘要
Abstract
[Objective]Spartina alterniflora has become a dominant invasive plant in Chinese coastal wetlands,posing serious threats to native wetland ecosystems by alterating community structure and environmental conditions.This species accumulates substantial standing litter at the end of the growing season,which continuously modifies light and temperature conditions within its habitat.Despite these ecological impacts,studies on how the growth and reproductive traits of S.alterniflora adapt to standing litter remain limited.Here,we integrated controlled greenhouse experiments with field observations to address the following scientific questions:1)What are direct effects of standing litter on the growth and reproduction of S.alterniflora?2)How does standing litter mediate environmental conditions to influence the growth and reproductive traits of S.alterniflora through environmental mediation mechanisms?Our study aims to investigate the adaptation mechanisms of S.alterniflora to standing litter habitats.[Methods]In a controlled greenhouse experiment conducted in Xiamen,we investigated the growth and reproductive traits of S.alterniflora(derived from invasive and native populations across different latitudes)in response to standing litter treatments.Plants had been continuously cultivated in the greenhouse for years prior to the experiment.The standing litter was subjected to two treatments(control and clipped)at the end of the growing season in 2019.The plant was allowed to grow until the end of the growing season in 2020,and then we measured plant height and tiller number of S.alterniflora.In the field experiment conducted at the Zhangjiang Estuary,we further monitored the effects of standing litter treatments(control and clipped)on S.alterniflora in natural coastal wetlands,focusing on plant habitat dynamics,flowering phenology,and growth and reproductive traits(height and tiller number).We used the same methodology as in the greenhouse experiment to apply standing litter treatments at the end of the growing season in 2021 and monitor plant responses throughout the growing season in 2022.[Results]1)In the greenhouse,the plant height were significantly higher by 23.7％and 25.2％in control than in the clipped treatment(in the invasive range:P＜0.001;in the native range:P＜0.001),while the number of tillers was significantly lower by 19.4％and 23.2％(in the invasive range:P=0.021;in the native range:P=0.008),and there were no significant differences in the effects of standing litter on the invasive and native populations(height:P=0.215;tiller number:P=0.895).2)In the field,the soil diurnal temperature difference was significantly lower by 35.6％in control than in the clipped treatment(P＜0.001),and light intensity was significantly lower by 12.6％than in the clipped treatment(P＜0.001).No significant differences were observed in air temperature,soil salinity,and soil water content across treatments(air temperature difference:P=0.290;soil salinity:P=0.491;soil water content:P=0.830).3)In the field,plant height was significantly higher by 28.9％(P＜0.001),tiller number was significantly lower by 26.9％(P=0.008).Flowering onset days was significantly delayed by 12.6％(P＜0.001),and the proportion of flowering was significantly lower by 16.7％(P＜0.001)in control than in the clipped treatment.[Conclusion]In summary,the standing litter creates a physical barrier that significantly reduces soil diurnal temperature difference and light intensity,delays flowering,extends vegetative growth time,and ultimately results in higher plant height,fewer tillers,and lower flowering proportion.Our study suggests that S.alterniflora may adjust its reproductive strategy to adapt to the habitat with standing litter by delaying flowering,affecting its invasive strategy and risk.This work provides a critical framework and theoretical insight into the adaptive strategies of species in standing litter habitats,contributing to establishing science-based prevention,control,and ecological restoration strategies against S.alterniflora invasions in Chinese coastal wetlands.关键词
湿地生境/互花米草/立枯物/开花物候Key words
wetland habitat/Spartina alterniflora/standing litter/flowering phenology分类
生物学引用本文复制引用
夏丽丽,周宇鹏,黄昊,陈静云,姜仁平,成竞扬,刘文文..立枯物对互花米草湿地生境及其生长和繁殖的影响[J].厦门大学学报（自然科学版）,2025,64(3):394-402,9.基金项目
国家自然科学基金(32222054) （32222054）
国家级大学生创新创业训练项目(202010384136) （202010384136）
