草业学报2026，Vol.35Issue(2)：107-119,13.DOI:10.11686/cyxb2025118
内蒙古典型草原植物叶片性状网络对极端干旱的响应
Responses of leaf trait networks to extreme drought in typical steppe plants of Inner Mongolia
摘要
Abstract
With the intensification of global climate change,extreme drought events are occurring with increasing frequency,posing severe threats to plant survival and ecosystem functioning.Leaf trait networks,which integrate multiple functional traits and their interactions,provide a comprehensive framework for understanding plant responses to environmental stress.Although previous studies have examined the effects of extreme drought on individual or a few leaf traits,the response of the overall trait network structure and its key traits under extreme drought remains unclear.This study was conducted in the typical steppe of Inner Mongolia,where two types of extreme drought were simulated:a 66%reduction in precipitation from May to August each year(CHR),and a 100%reduction in precipitation during June and July each year(INT).We systematically measured 20 leaf traits and employed a trait network analysis approach to assess the impacts of extreme drought on trait variation and network properties.It was found that extreme drought significantly reduced leaf water potential and increased magnesium concentration,while weakening network connectivity and complexity,as indicated by decreases in the number of edges,edge density,and average clustering coefficient.Furthermore,by classifying the selected traits into hydraulic,compositional,and morphological categories,we found that hydraulic traits consistently exhibited the highest degree,closeness,and betweenness under both drought treatments.This highlights their central regulatory role in the network,suggesting that they play a dominant role in coordinating the responses of other functional traits to drought stress.This study provides novel insights into the integrated regulatory mechanisms of plant adaptation to extreme drought from a trait network perspective.Our findings enhance the understanding of plant drought resistance strategies and ecological adaptability,and offer a theoretical foundation for predicting plant ecological responses under future climate change scenarios.关键词
典型草原/叶片性状网络/极端干旱/水力学性状Key words
typical grassland/leaf trait network/extreme drought/hydraulic behavior引用本文复制引用
乔雅楠,王洪强,李颖,庾强..内蒙古典型草原植物叶片性状网络对极端干旱的响应[J].草业学报,2026,35(2):107-119,13.基金项目
国家重点研发计划项目(2022YFE0128000,2022YFF1300603)和国家自然科学基金项目(32171592)资助. （2022YFE0128000,2022YFF1300603）
