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Background and aims <p>Variations in snow depth are significantly altering the soil environment in the permafrost regions of the Tibetan Plateau, which in turn affects vegetation growth. However, how plant leaf and root traits and their relationship respond to increased snow depth remains unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the influence of increased snow depth on plant growth and functional traits of leaf and root at the Tibetan alpine meadow, exploring how plant above-ground and below-ground parts cascading responded to increased snow depth.</p> Methods <p>This study employed snow fence to artificially simulate snow depth increase in 2013 at the alpine meadow of the Tibetan Plateau. We measured soil temperature and moisture at the depth of 0–10&#xa0;cm, community above-ground biomass, root biomass at both 0–10&#xa0;cm and 10–20&#xa0;cm, and calculated biomass weighted leaf and root functional traits in 2020.</p> Result <p>Increased snow depth significantly increased root biomass compared to ambient controls, but didn’t change above-ground biomass. Increased snow depth significantly decreased specific leaf area (SLA) but increased leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations. For root functional traits, increased snow depth increased specific root length (SRL) and specific root area (SRA), but decreased root tissue diameter (RTD) and root diameter (RD). Effect size result showed that plant leaves were less affected by increased snow depth as compared with root. Particularly, leaf traits showed the greater changes in chemical traits (leaf C, N, P concentrations) as compared with morphological traits (AGB, SLA). In converse, root traits changed more in morphological traits (BGB, SRL, SRA, RTD, RD) rather than chemical traits (root C, N, P concentrations). Principal component analysis showed that leaf functional traits were primarily driven by leaf C, N, and P concentrations, but root functional traits were mainly driven by morphological traits such as SRL, SRA, and RTD.</p> Conclusion <p>The inconsistently response of plant leaves and root to increased snow depth at the alpine meadow of the Tibetan Plateau suggested that trade-offs between above- and below- functions are necessary for plant to optimize resource use under changing environment. Our results also emphasize the importance in feedback between above- and below-ground plant traits, which is helpful to better understand plant community responses to future climate change.</p>

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Inconsistent responses of above- and below-ground to 8 years increased snow depth at the alpine meadow in the permafrost region of the Tibetan Plateau

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年2月3日

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  • Xiangjiao Tan,
  • Hongyan Yu,
  • Kai Yang,
  • Xiaodong Wu,
  • Yan Yang

摘要

Background and aims

Variations in snow depth are significantly altering the soil environment in the permafrost regions of the Tibetan Plateau, which in turn affects vegetation growth. However, how plant leaf and root traits and their relationship respond to increased snow depth remains unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the influence of increased snow depth on plant growth and functional traits of leaf and root at the Tibetan alpine meadow, exploring how plant above-ground and below-ground parts cascading responded to increased snow depth.

Methods

This study employed snow fence to artificially simulate snow depth increase in 2013 at the alpine meadow of the Tibetan Plateau. We measured soil temperature and moisture at the depth of 0–10 cm, community above-ground biomass, root biomass at both 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm, and calculated biomass weighted leaf and root functional traits in 2020.

Result

Increased snow depth significantly increased root biomass compared to ambient controls, but didn’t change above-ground biomass. Increased snow depth significantly decreased specific leaf area (SLA) but increased leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations. For root functional traits, increased snow depth increased specific root length (SRL) and specific root area (SRA), but decreased root tissue diameter (RTD) and root diameter (RD). Effect size result showed that plant leaves were less affected by increased snow depth as compared with root. Particularly, leaf traits showed the greater changes in chemical traits (leaf C, N, P concentrations) as compared with morphological traits (AGB, SLA). In converse, root traits changed more in morphological traits (BGB, SRL, SRA, RTD, RD) rather than chemical traits (root C, N, P concentrations). Principal component analysis showed that leaf functional traits were primarily driven by leaf C, N, and P concentrations, but root functional traits were mainly driven by morphological traits such as SRL, SRA, and RTD.

Conclusion

The inconsistently response of plant leaves and root to increased snow depth at the alpine meadow of the Tibetan Plateau suggested that trade-offs between above- and below- functions are necessary for plant to optimize resource use under changing environment. Our results also emphasize the importance in feedback between above- and below-ground plant traits, which is helpful to better understand plant community responses to future climate change.