Abstract
Chrysopogon serrulatus (false beard-grass) is a dominant component of vegetation in the foothills of the Himalayas. To study whole plant morphology, individuals of C. serrulatus were collected from three plots at each of six locations spanning from 400 to 1,400 m. The population colonizing the highest elevation showed noticeable morphological modifications in different plant organs. Roots showed increased xeromorphy, specifically increased metaxylem number and area. In the stem, especially outside of the vascular tissue, there was intensive sclerification indicative of increased xeromorphy as a survival strategy. At the highest elevation, leaves were wider; aerenchyma formation and increased sclerification were noted in the leaf sheath; and a greater proportion of storage parenchyma was observed in the leaf blade, all indicators of succulence. In contrast, leaves at lower elevations had xeric morphological features such as increased epidermal thickness, sclerification and more developed metaxylem area. In conclusion, shifting of morphological features in below- and above-ground plant parts of C. serrulatus were linked to shifts in environmental factors along this elevation gradient, thus enabling the successful distribution of this species along this elevation gradient.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmad F, Khan MA, Ahmad M, et al. (2009) Taxonomic studies of grasses and their indigenous uses in the Salt Range area of Pakistan. Afr J Biotechnol 8(2): 231–249.
Ahmad KS, Kayani WK, Hameed M, et al. (2012) Floristic diversity and ethnobotany of Senhsa, District Kotli, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (Pakistan). Pak J Bot 44(SI): 195–201.
Ahmad I, Ahmad MSA, Hussain M, et al. (2010) Spatiotemporal aspects of plant community structure in open scrub rangelands of submountainous Himalayan plateaus. Pak J Bot 42(5): 3431–3440.
Akinlabi AA, Jimoh MA, Saheed SA (2014) Effects of elevational gradients on morpho anatomical characters of Chromolaena odorata (L.) King & Robinson. FUTA J Res Sci 2L: 150–156.
Ali A, Badshah L, Hussain F, et al. (2016) Floristic composition and ecological characteristics of plants of Chail valley, district Swat, Pakistan. Pak J Bot 48(3): 1013–1026.
Amada G, Kosugi Y, Kitayama K, et al. (2020) Roles of leaf trichomes in heat transfers and gas — exchange characteristics across environmental gradients. Preprint from Authorea Preprints, 14 Dec 2020. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.160794364.42389606/v1
Andriarimalala HJ, Dubeux Jr JC, Jaramillo DM, et al. (2021) Using n-alkanes to estimate herbage intake and diet composition of cattle fed with natural forages in Madagascar. Animal Feed Sci Technol 273: 114795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114795
Arnon DI (1949) Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts. Polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol 24(1): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.24.1.1
Azeem A, Zeb A, Umer S, et al. (2020) Ethno botanical studies of Tatta Pani Valley, Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Pakistan. J Med Plants Stud 8(3): 14–20.
Bano C, Amist N, Singh NB (2019) Morphological and Anatomical Modifications of Plants for Environmental Stresses. In: Roychoudhury A, Tripathi D (eds.), Molecular Plant Abiotic Stress: Biology and Biotechnology, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. NY. pp 29–44. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119463665.ch2
Bertolino LT, Caine RS, Gray JE (2019) Impact of stomatal density and morphology on water-use efficiency in a changing world. Front Plant Sci 10: 225. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00225
Bresson CC, Vitasse Y, Kremer A, Delzon S (2011) To what extent is elevational variation of functional traits driven by genetic adaptation in European oak and beech? Tree Physiol 31(11): 1164–1174. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpr084
Byars SG, Papst W, Hoffmann AA (2007) Local adaptation and cogradient selection in the alpine plant, Poa hiemata, along a narrow elevational gradient. Evolution 61(12): 2925–2941. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00248.x
Carmo-Silva AE, Francisco A, Powers SJ, et al. (2009) Grasses of different C4 subtypes reveal leaf traits related to drought tolerance in their natural habitats: Changes in structure, water potential, and amino acid content. Am J Bot 96(7): 1222–1235. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.0800224
Chuah TS, Oh HY, Habsah M, et al. (2014) Potential of crude extract and isolated compounds from golden beard grass (Chrysopogon serrulatus) for control of sprangletop (Leptochloa chinensis) in aerobic rice systems. Crop Pasture Sci 65(5): 461–469. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP13339
Crang R, Lyons-Sobaski S, Wise R (2018) Parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma. In: Crang R, Lyons-Sobaski S, Wise R (eds.), Plant Anatomy. Springer, Cham. pp 181–213. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77315-5_6
Davis BH (1976) Carotenoids. In: Goodwin TW (ed.), Chemistry and Biochemistry of Plant Pigments, 2. Academic Press, London. pp 38–165.
De Carcer PS, Signarbieux C, Schlaepfer R, et al. (2017) Responses of antinomic foliar traits to experimental climate forcing in beech and spruce saplings. Environ Exp Bot 140: 128–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2017.05.013
De Sanctis M, Adeeb A, Farcomeni A, et al. (2013) Classification and distribution patterns of plant communities on Socotra Island, Yemen. Appl Veg Sci 16(1): 148–165. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-109X.2012.01212.x
Dörken VM, Ladd PG, Parsons RF (2020) Anatomical aspects of xeromorphy in arid-adapted plants of Australia. Aust J Bot 68(3): 245–266. https://doi.org/10.1071/BT19073
Fatima S, Hameed M, Ahmad F, et al. (2018) Structural and functional modifications in a typical arid zone species Aristida adscensionis L. along elevational gradient. Flora 249: 172–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2018.11.003
Fatima S, Hameed M, Naz N, et al. (2021) Survival strategies in khavi grass [Cymbopogon jwarancusa (Jones) Schult.] colonizing hot hypersaline and arid environments. Water Air Soil Pollut 232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05050-1
Fatima S, Hameed M, Ahmad F, et al. (2022) Structural and functional responses in widespread distribution of some dominant grasses along climatic elevation gradients. Flora 289: 152034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2022.152034
Fourie H, Leswifi C, McDonald AH, et al. (2007) Host suitability of vetiver grass to Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica. Nematology 9(1): 49–52.
Fradera-Soler M, Rudall PJ, Prychid CJ, et al. (2021) Evolutionary success in arid habitats: Morpho-anatomy of succulent leaves of Crassula species from southern Africa. J Arid Environ 185: 104319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2020.104319
Furqan M, Usman A, Ara A, et al. (2019) Population estimation and habitat analysis of Indian grey mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) in Mirpur District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Pak J Zool 51(2): 549. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/2019.51.2.549.557
Greig-Smith P (1983) Quantitative Plant Ecology (Vol. 9). University of California Press. USA.
Gupta AK, Negi M, Nandy S, et al. (2019) Assessing the vulnerability of socio-environmental systems to climate change along an elevation gradient in the Indian Himalayas. Ecol Ind 106: 105512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105512
Hameed M, Nawaz T, Ashraf M, et al. (2012) Floral biodiversity and conservation status of the Himalayan foothill region, Punjab. Pak J Bot 44(SI): 143–149.
Haq A, Badshah L (2021) The structure of threatened vegetation in the montane temperate ecosystem of Pashat valley, Pak-Afghan border, Hindukush Range, Bajaur, Pakistan. Appl Ecol Environ Res 19(5); 3579–3600. https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer/1905_35793600
Ho CL, Chiang JM, Lin TC, et al. (2019) First report of C4/CAM-cycling photosynthetic pathway in a succulent grass, Spinifex littoreus (Brum. f.) Merr., in coastal regions of Taiwan. Flora 254: 194–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2018.08.005
Honaine MF, Borrelli NL, Osterrieth M, et al. (2016) Leaf and culm silicification of Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) developed on different soils from Pampean region, Argentina. Aust J Bot 65(1): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1071/BT16154
Husain T, Hussain A, Ahmed M (2009) Studies of vegetative behavior and climatic effects on some pasture grasses growing wild in Pakistan. Pak J Bot 41: 2379–2386.
Iqbal U, Hameed M, Ahmad F, et al. (2022) Contribution of structural and functional modifications to wide distribution of Bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon (L) Pers. Flora 286: 151973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2021.151973
Jiang S, Chen X, Smettem K, et al. (2021) Climate and land use influences on changing spatiotemporal patterns of mountain vegetation cover in southwest China. Ecol Indicators 121: 107193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107193
Joyce CB, Simpson M, Casanova M (2016) Future wet grasslands: ecological implications of climate change. Ecosys Health Sust 2(9): e01240. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehs2.1240
Keshavarzi M (2020) An Overview of Ecological Anatomy of Poaceae Halophytes from Iran. In: Grigore MN. (eds) Handbook of Halophytes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57635-6_35
Kuster VC, da Silva LC, Meira RMSA, et al. (2018) Structural adaptation and anatomical convergence in stems and roots of five plant species from a “Restinga” sand coastal plain. Flora 243(1): 77–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2018.03.017
Li Y, Li H, Li Y, et al. (2017) Improving water-use efficiency by decreasing stomatal conductance and transpiration rate to maintain higher ear photosynthetic rate in drought-resistant wheat. Crop J 5(3): 231–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2017.01.001
Liu YZ, Bin T, Zheng YL, et al. (2010) Screening methods for waterlogging tolerance at maize (Zea mays L.) seedling stage. Agric Sci China 9(3):362–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1671-2927(09)60105-X
Losada JM, Diaz M, Holbrook NM. (2021) Idioblasts and peltate hairs as distribution networks for water absorbed by xerophilous leaves. Plant Cell Environ 44(5): 1346–1360. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13985
Magome H, Cain III JW, Owen-Smith N, et al. (2008) Forage selection of sable antelope in Pilanesberg Game Reserve, South Africa. S Afr J Wildl Res 38(1): 35–41. https://doi.org/10.3957/0379-4369-38.1.35
Mansoor U, Fatima S, Hameed M, et al. (2019). Structural modifications for aridity tolerance in stem and leaves of Cenchrus ciliaris L. ecotypes from the Cholistan Desert. Flora 261: 151485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2019.151485
Mota GS, Luz GR, Mota NM, et al. (2018) Changes in species composition, vegetation structure, and life forms along an elevational gradient of rupestrian grasslands in south-eastern Brazil. Flora 238(1): 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2017.03.010
Motomura H, Noshiro S, Mikage M (2007) Variable wood formation and adaptation to the alpine environment of Ephedra pachyclada (Gnetales: Ephedraceae) in the Mustang District, western Nepal. Ann Bot 100(2): 315–324. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcm111
Moura EF, Ventrella MC, Motoike SY (2010) Anatomy, histochemistry and ultrastructure of seed and somatic embryo of Acrocomia aculeata (Arecaceae). Sci Agricola 67(1): 399–407. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-90162010000400004
Nawaz T, Hameed M, Ashraf M, et al. (2012) Diversity and conservation status of economically important flora of the Salt Range, Pakistan. Pak J Bot 44(SI): 203–211.
Naz N, Hameed M, Nawaz T, et al. (2013) Structural adaptations in a desert halophyte Aeluropus lagopoides (Linn.) Trin. ex Thw. under high salinities. J Biol Res-Thessal 19(1): 150–164.
Naz N, Batool R, Fatima S, et al. (2015) Adaptive components of salinity tolerance in a saline desert grass Lasiurus scindicus Henrard. Ecol Res 30: 429–438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-014-1236-0
Nja RB, Merceron B, Faucher M, et al. (2018) NaCl-Changes stem morphology, anatomy and phloem structure in lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. Gabès): Comparison of upper and lower internodes. Micron 105(1): 70–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2017.10.007
Olsen JT, Caudle KL, Johnson LC, et al. (2013) Environmental and genetic variation in leaf anatomy among populations of Andropogon gerardii (Poaceae) along a precipitation gradient. Am J Bot 100(10): 1957–1968. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1200628
Orwig DA, Abrams MD (1997) Variation in radial growth responses to drought among species, site, and canopy strata. Trees 11(1): 474–484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004680050110
Radha PS, Sharma N, Kumar A, et al. (2022) A survey on ethnoveterinary medicines used by the tribal migratory shepherds of Northwestern Himalaya. J Ethnopharmacol 296: 115467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.115467
Rawat M, Vasistha HB, Negi M (2018) Impact of grazing on the species richness, diversity and composition of temperate grassland in Kunjapuri Hills of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand. J Biosphere 7: 1–8.
Read QD, Moorhead LC, Swenson NG, et al. (2014) Convergent effects of elevation on functional leaf traits within and among species. Func Ecol 28(1): 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12162
Rodrigues AC, Oliveira FMC, Kedrovski HR, et al. (2021) Within the roots of Pleurothallidinae (Orchidaceae): An evolutionary analysis. Flora 282:151883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2021.151883
Ruzin SE (1999) Plant microtechnique and microscopy (Vol. 198). New York: Oxford University Press.
Sack L, Buckley TN (2020) Trait multi-functionality in plant stress response. Integ Comp Biol 60(1): 98–112. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icz152
Scholz FG, Bucci SJ, Arias N, et al. (2012) Osmotic and elastic adjustments in cold desert shrubs differing in rooting depth: coping with drought and subzero temperatures. Oecologia 170: 885–897. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-012-2368-y
Steel RGD, Torrie JH, Dickey DA (1997) Principles and procedures of statistics: A biometrical approach. 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill, NY.
Tardella FM, Bricca A, Piermarteri K, et al. (2017) Context-dependent variation of SLA and plant height of a dominant, invasive tall grass (Brachypodium genuense) in sub-Mediterranean grasslands. Flora 229: 116–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2017.02.022
Tian F, Hou M, Qiu Y, et al. (2020) Salinity stress effects on transpiration and plant growth under different salinity soil levels based on thermal infrared remote (TIR) technique. Geoderma 357: 113961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.113961
USDA Laboratory Staff (1954) United State Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 60. (Ed. L. A. Richards). U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C.
Vassileva V, Moyankova D, Dimitrova A, et al. (2019) Assessment of leaf micromorphology after full desiccation of resurrection plants. Plant Biosys 153(1): 108–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2018.1473306
Weemstra M, Freschet GT, Stokes A, et al. (2021) Patterns in intraspecific variation in root traits are species — specific along an elevation gradient. Func Ecol 35(2): 342–356. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13723
Wingler A, Juvany M, Cuthbert C, et al. (2015) Adaptation to elevation affects the senescence response to chilling in the perennial plant Arabis alpina. J Exp Bot 66(1): 355–367. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eru426
Wolf B (1982) An improved universal extracting solution and its use for diagnosing soil fertility. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 13(12): 1005–1033. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103628209367331
Xiao K, Mao X, Lin Y, et al. (2017) Trichome, a functional diversity phenotype in plant. Mol Biol 6(1): 183. https://doi.org/10.4172/2168-9547.1000183
Zeng F, Shabala S, Maksimović JD, et al. (2018) Revealing mechanisms of salinity tissue tolerance in succulent halophytes: a case study for Carpobrotus rossi. Plant Cell Environ 41(11): 2654–2667. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13391
Zhang L, Yang L, Shen W (2020) Dramatic elevational variations in leaf mass per area of two plant growth forms at extreme heights. Ecol Ind 110: 105890. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105890
Zhao Z, Cao J, Chow JC, et al. (2019) Multi-wavelength light absorption of black and brown carbon at a high-elevation site on the Southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, China. Atmos Environ 212(1): 54–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.05.035
Acknowledgement
This manuscript has been derived from Ph.D. Thesis of the first author submitted to University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. This research work is a result of independent studies and there is no involvement of any individual or institutional funding agency.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fatima, S., Hameed, M., Ahmad, F. et al. Dramatic changes in anatomical traits of a C4 grass Chrysopogon serrulatus Trin. (Poaceae) over a 1000 m elevational gradient. J. Mt. Sci. 20, 1316–1335 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-022-7385-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-022-7385-7