Physiological responses of Kobresia pygmaea to warming in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region

• Published in: Acta Oecologica
• Main Authors: Yang, Y., Wang, G. X., Yang, L. D., Guo, J. Y., Li, N.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Active Oxygen Species; Antioxidant Capacities; Non-structural Carbohydrate; Oxidative Damage; 生态学; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; UV-B RADIATION; PHASEOLUS-VULGARIS L; GLOBAL CLIMATE-CHANGE; OPEN-TOP CHAMBERS; WATER-STRESS; PROLINE ACCUMULATION; INTEGRATED APPROACH; HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE; POPULUS-CATHAYANA; ATMOSPHERIC CO2; Ecology; permafrost
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2012.01.012

Kobresia pygmaea (C.B. Clarke) C.B. Clarke is one dominant herbaceous species in the alpine meadows of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. From 2006 to 2009, a warming experiment was conducted in this permafrost region. Two 2-year warming treatments with an annual average warming of 2.1 degrees C and 4.4 degrees C, and one 4-year warming treatment with an annual average warming of 2.3 degrees C were established to examine physiological responses of K. pygmaea to warming. Our results indicated that 2-years of warming increased malondialdehyde and non-structural carbohydrates in the plants. There was no effect of 2-year warming on electrolyte leakage and free proline content. In the 2-year warming treatment, superoxide dismutase activity and peroxidase activity increased, ascorbate peroxidase activity and ascorbic acid only increased in 2-year high warming treatment, whereas in the 4-year warming treatment, active oxygen species, electrolyte leakage. UV-absorbing compounds and anthocyanins decreased. The 4-year warming treatment also significantly increased non-structural carbonhydrate and free proline accumulation for osmotic adjustment. The results of this study suggest that K. pygmaea could adapt to a warmer environment in the future. (C) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.