Affiliations: Laboratory of Quantitative Vegetation Ecology,
Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
E-mail: cwxiao@95777.com | The Normal College of Wulanchabu League, Jining
012000, Inner Mongolia, China
Note: [] Corresponding author
Abstract: Response patters were investigated for seedlings of Hedysarum
mongolicum, a dominant shrub in Maowusu sandland, to the simulated
precipitation change by artificially controlling water supply at four levels.
Plant growth characters, in terms of branch number and length, leaf number and
area, and biomass, increased while water supply increased. However, the effect
of water supply on leaf photosynthetic rate was not significant. Root/shoot
biomass ratio significantly decreased with the increase of water supply, which
was considered adaptive distribution of biomass investments in the different
water supply. Water supply obviously affected branching patter. Branch section
number,branch number and length of the same section enhanced as water supply
increased. Branch number and length were clearly positive correlation with
total and aboveground biomass in four water supply treatments. Branch character
fully showed plant growth.
