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<p>Understanding the anatomical responses of planted trees to soil water heterogeneity is essential for predicting plant adaptability to climatic change. However, it remains unclear how slope‑induced soil water heterogeneity modulates seasonal anatomical adjustments. We investigated the spatial and temporal variation of soil water content (SWC) across slope gradients, corresponding leaf anatomical responses, and phenotypic plasticity of <i>Robinia pseudoacacia</i>, a dominant afforestation species in mountainous areas of central-southern Shandong Province. Slope position significantly regulated the seasonal dynamics of SWC via variations in soil thickness: the lower slope maintained consistently high SWC, the middle slope showed obvious rainfall-dependent moisture fluctuation, and the upper slope maintained persistently dry. In response to declining SWC, leaf vein diameter (VD) and vascular bundle diameter (VBD) increased consistently across all slope positions. Leaf thickness (LT), palisade tissue thickness (PTT), and compactness of mesophyll tissue (MTC) remained stable at the wet lower slope, but decreased significantly at the middle and upper slopes, along with spongy tissue thickness (STT). Seasonal variations in lower epidermal thickness (LET), upper epidermal thickness (UET) and palisade-to-spongy tissue ratio (P/S) were constrained by phenological progression. Leaf traits exhibited distinct differential plasticity, high in LET, VD, and VBD, moderate in LT, PTT, and STT, low in UET, P/S, MTC, and looseness of mesophyll tissue (MTL). This pattern reflects a coordinated strategy of “protection-transport-photosynthesis”. Moreover, plasticity of LT, STT, and LET differed significantly among slope positions under contrasting water regime. Such trait-specific differential plasticity represents a key adaptive mechanism that enables <i>R. pseudoacacia</i> to cope with heterogeneous soil moisture on shallow-soil slopes. Our findings provide important anatomical evidence for understanding drought adaptation strategies of planted tree species under shallow soil conditions in mountainous areas.</p>

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Leaf anatomical plasticity of Robinia pseudoacacia in response to slope-related soil water heterogeneity on granite slopes

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月1日

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  • Xuena Wang,
  • Yuanzhi Wu,
  • Juan An,
  • Hongli Song,
  • Meng Li,
  • Lizhi Wang,
  • Wei Wei,
  • Yuchang Chen

摘要

Understanding the anatomical responses of planted trees to soil water heterogeneity is essential for predicting plant adaptability to climatic change. However, it remains unclear how slope‑induced soil water heterogeneity modulates seasonal anatomical adjustments. We investigated the spatial and temporal variation of soil water content (SWC) across slope gradients, corresponding leaf anatomical responses, and phenotypic plasticity of Robinia pseudoacacia, a dominant afforestation species in mountainous areas of central-southern Shandong Province. Slope position significantly regulated the seasonal dynamics of SWC via variations in soil thickness: the lower slope maintained consistently high SWC, the middle slope showed obvious rainfall-dependent moisture fluctuation, and the upper slope maintained persistently dry. In response to declining SWC, leaf vein diameter (VD) and vascular bundle diameter (VBD) increased consistently across all slope positions. Leaf thickness (LT), palisade tissue thickness (PTT), and compactness of mesophyll tissue (MTC) remained stable at the wet lower slope, but decreased significantly at the middle and upper slopes, along with spongy tissue thickness (STT). Seasonal variations in lower epidermal thickness (LET), upper epidermal thickness (UET) and palisade-to-spongy tissue ratio (P/S) were constrained by phenological progression. Leaf traits exhibited distinct differential plasticity, high in LET, VD, and VBD, moderate in LT, PTT, and STT, low in UET, P/S, MTC, and looseness of mesophyll tissue (MTL). This pattern reflects a coordinated strategy of “protection-transport-photosynthesis”. Moreover, plasticity of LT, STT, and LET differed significantly among slope positions under contrasting water regime. Such trait-specific differential plasticity represents a key adaptive mechanism that enables R. pseudoacacia to cope with heterogeneous soil moisture on shallow-soil slopes. Our findings provide important anatomical evidence for understanding drought adaptation strategies of planted tree species under shallow soil conditions in mountainous areas.