Biomass-density relationship varies with water use efficiency across an aridity gradient
NAN WANG1, JING GAO1, SHAN-SHAN XU2, WEI-PING ZHANG2, GEN-XUAN WANG2
1College of Life Sciences, CN-310058 Hangzhou, PR Chinа
fzstsys2@zju.edu.cn
2Zhejiang University, CN-310058 Hangzhou, PR Chinа
Keywords: scaling exponent, plant morphological traits, foliar stable carbon isotope
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has shown that the scaling exponent (α) of the aboveground biomass-density relationship is not a constant value. Debate continues over what determines the variation in α. By measuring foliar stable carbon isotope, plant morphological traits and α along an aridity gradient from eastern to Western China, we confirmed that the variation in α was accounted for by changes in plant morphological traits which are adaptive strategies for enhancing water use efficiency during drought stress. This information can be crucial for understanding and predicting community and ecosystem processes.
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