20 resultados para root tissue density
em Chinese Academy of Sciences Institutional Repositories Grid Portal
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为了探究草原植物生长策略及其对养分变化的响应,本文比较分析了克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii)、冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)和糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)根与叶的形态特性及其对氮素添加的响应。结果表明不同植物具有不同的生长策略,糙隐子草主要采取快速获取资源的生长策略,表现为具有高的比根长和比叶面积;冷蒿则主要采取保存资源的生长策略,表现为具有较高的根组织密度和较低的比根长;克氏针茅对资源的获取和保存能力都相对较强,表现为具有较大的比根长、较小的比叶面积和中等大小的根与叶组织密度。氮素添加主要影响克氏针茅和冷蒿的根特性,随着氮素添加量的增加,克氏针茅比根长显著增加,根组织密度显著降低,说明随着氮素添加量的增多克氏针茅根系对氮素的获取能力增强,从而导致其在群落中的生物量比例显著增加。冷蒿根表面积随着氮素添加量的增多显著降低,说明随着氮素添加量的增加冷蒿根系对氮素的吸收能力下降,导致其在群落中的生物量比例随着氮素添加量的增大而减少。氮素添加没有显著地影响糙隐子草根和叶特性,它在群落中的生物量比例也没有明显规律。因此,我们研究结果证明通过植物根和叶形态特性的变化能够预测植物在群落中地位的改变。 根与叶特性之间的关系可以进一步反映植物对资源获取和保存的权衡能力,研究植物根与叶特性的内在关系有助于更全面地理解植物的生存对策,更好地预测植物对环境变化的反应。我们通过简单相关分析和典型相关分析研究了克氏针茅草原植物的根与叶特性之间的关系及其对氮素添加的响应和根与叶总体关系。简单相关分析结果表明根特性之间、叶特性之间以及根与叶特性之间均存在相关性,植物特性之间的相互关系在根与叶中是相似的,且体现了植物对资源的获取与保存的权衡关系,如根组织密度与比根长负相关,叶组织密度与比叶面积负相关等,根与叶对应指标之间没有必然的联系。施氮肥使根与叶特性之间的相关性及其强弱发生变化,表明氮素添加是影响植物根与叶特性之间关系的因素之一。典型相关分析表明不同物种根与叶关系密切程度存在差异,不同根与叶特性之间的关系对根与叶总体的关系贡献程度也有所不同。
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为了探讨不同灌溉制度对玉米根系生长和水分利用效率的影响及基因型间差异,在大型活动防雨棚和棚外田间条件下,利用一组玉米遗传材料杂交种户单四号、父本803和母本天四进行了研究。结果发现玉米杂交种在根系生长、分布和水分利用效率上表现出显著的杂种优势。在充分灌溉条件下,玉米杂交种在浅层的根长密度大于亲本,但在水分亏缺条件下,玉米杂交种根长密度在整个剖面上都显著大于亲本;同一玉米基因型在不同的灌溉制度下根长密度在土壤剖面的分布也不同,拔节期不灌溉条件下玉米根系在深层土壤中的分布较充分灌溉条件下大,保证了玉米对深层土壤水分的充分吸收,而后期灌水延缓了表层根系生长的衰退,产生明显的补偿效应;拔节期干旱而抽雄期和灌浆期灌水显著提高了3种基因型玉米的水分利用效率。通过合理灌溉优化玉米根系分布特性以提高玉米吸水能力和水分利用效率,是节水栽培上的可行途径。
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采用空间序列取代时间序列的方法,对退耕时间分别为2、4、6和8年的退耕地群落细根特征进行了分析,以探讨退耕地植被演替过程中细根特征在土壤剖面上的变化及其在演替过程中的作用.结果表明:(1)群落细根根长密度和根面积密度随植被演替显著增加;比根长、比根面积和地下/地上生物量也有增加趋势;细根平均直径随植被演替波动,但有减少趋势;(2)在土壤剖面上根长密度、根面积密度和根系生物量均随土壤深度的增加而降低.其中超过63%的根长、61%的根面积和72%的生物量分布在0~20cm的表层土壤中;(3)根径级统计表明,多数细根直径在0~0.5和0.5~1.0mm之间,这两级细根长度占细根总长度的80%以上;(4)逐步回归分析表明,植被演替过程中细根特征的变化主要与土壤有效氮(第2年)、有效磷(第2~8年)和土壤水分(第8年)的含量有关,且随着植被演替,2~6年退耕地中细根特征与土壤资源正相关,而第8年中二者呈负相关.这可能与植物生长对资源的需求与土壤提供资源的能力之间的平衡有关.研究表明,退耕地植被演替过程对土壤资源有一定影响,尤其是土壤水分含量显著减少;而土壤水分等土壤资源的变化又对群落产生影响,导致茵陈蒿先锋群落向地带性...
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以生长在陕北水蚀风蚀交错带沙地上的人工小叶杨(Populus simonii)和柠条(Caragana korshinkii)为研究对象,采用剖面法调查2个树种的细根分布特征,通过2年土壤水分定位观测研究,初步分析沙地小叶杨和柠条细根分布与土壤水分消耗的关系。结果表明:1)沙地小叶杨和柠条随土层深度增加,细根表面积密度逐渐减小,0~100cm土层分别集中了整个剖面细根总量的63%和95%;2)小叶杨和柠条林地剖面土壤水分与细根垂直分布密切相关,小叶杨和柠条林地土壤水分特征类似,可分为3个层次:0~50 cm土层为速变层,50~200 cm土层为缓变层,200cm以下土层为缓慢衰减层;3)2年观测期内,小叶杨和柠条林地总蒸散量接近,与同期降水量基本持平,而裸沙地土壤储水量增加;4)小叶杨和柠条细根趋于浅表化的分布特征是对沙地浅层土壤经常获得雨水补给适应的结果。研究结果可为水蚀风蚀交错带沙区防护林建设提供理论依据。
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碳水化合物按其存在的形式可分为结构性碳水化合物和非结构性碳水化合物两种。前者主要用于植物体的形态建成;后者是参与植物生命代谢的重要物质。迄今为止,有关CO2浓度升高对植物叶片中的碳水化合物含量的研究较多,而对其它器官中碳水化合物含量以及碳水化合物在植物体内的分配响应研究较少。碳水化合物含量在植物各器官中的变化能够反映光合同化产物在叶和茎、枝和根中的转运情况;碳水化合物的分配与植物的生长模式相关,它的变化会对植物的生长情况产生影响。因此,为全面认识植物生理生化与生长过程对大气CO2浓度升高响应情况,需要对CO2浓度升高条件下植物体内碳水化合物的含量及分配变化进行深入的研究与探讨。本文应用自控、独立、封闭的生长室系统,研究了红桦幼苗根、茎、叶和枝的碳水化合物含量以及分配格局对大气CO2浓度升高(环境CO2浓度+350 µmol·mol-1) 的响应。研究结果表明:1) CO2浓度升高使红桦幼苗叶片中的非结构性碳水化合物含量显著增加。这可能会对光合作用造成反馈抑制,降低光合速率。2) CO2浓度升高使红桦幼苗根、茎和枝中的还原糖、蔗糖、总可溶性糖、淀粉和总的非结构性碳水化合物(TNC) 含量显著增加。说明CO2浓度升高促进了碳水化合物由叶片向枝、茎和根中的运输转移,支持了Finn和Brun的假设。3) 在总的非结构性碳水化合物(TNC) 中,淀粉所占比例最大。同样地,CO2浓度升高使TNC含量增加的部分中,淀粉所占的比例也最大。在叶片、枝、茎和根中淀粉含量增加部分占TNC含量增加部分的91.45%、88.23%、83.23%和82.01%。4) CO2浓度升高使红桦幼苗根、茎、叶和枝内的纤维素含量有增加的趋势,但未达到显著水平。需要进一步研究长期CO2浓度升高下,纤维素含量的响应程度。5) CO2浓度升高使碳水化合物在红桦幼苗体内的分配发生了改变。红桦幼苗体内碳水化合物分配变化的一致趋势是由地上部分向地下部分分配转移。其中,测定的所有碳水化合物均向根中分配增多。同时,CO2浓度升高使红桦幼苗的根冠比显著增大;根系干重显著增加。这些结果支持了Gorissen 和Cotrufo的假设,即碳水化合物向根中分配增多是根冠比增大的主要原因。6) CO2浓度升高使红桦幼苗体内的氮含量显著下降。氮含量的下降可能主要是由生长的加快和TNC (主要是淀粉) 含量的增加对氮的稀释造成的。Carbohydrates found in plants are frequently grouped into two different classes:structural carbohydrates and non-structural carbohydrates. The former mainlyconstruct the plant basic framework, while the latter are essential for plant growth andmetabolism. As yet there is lack of information on the effects of elevated CO2concentration on carbohydrate contents in stem, branch and root of plant, and oncarbohydrate allocation in organs of plant although there have been many reports onthe responses of carbohydrate contents to elevated CO2 concentration in plant foliages.A shift of carbohydrate contents in plant reflects a change in transporting ofphotosynthetic production from leaf to stem, branch and root of plant. The allocationof carbohydrates that is correlated to plant growth patterns affects plant growth. Thus,in order to understand the influences of elevated CO2 on biochemical process,physiological change and plant growth well, the response of carbohydrate contentsand allocation in plant to elevated CO2 should be further investigated. In our study, theeffects of elevated CO2 on carbohydrate contents and their allocation between leaf,stem, branch and root tissue of Betula albosinensis seedlings were determined. Theseedlings were grown in independent and enclosed-top chambers. Chambers werecontrolled to reproduce ambient (CK) and ambient + 350 µmol·mol-1 CO2 (EC)concentration for 1 year. The results here showed that,1) Elevated CO2 significantly increased non-structural carbohydrate contents in leafof red birch seedlings. This will reduce photosynthetic rate.2) Elevated CO2 also significantly increased non-structural carbohydrate contentsin root, stem and branch of red birch seedlings. These findings supported thehypothesis that elevated CO2 accelerated carbohydrates from leaf to branch, stem androot.3) Starch makes up the largest parts of total non-structural carbohydrate. In thesame way, the increase of starch plays a main role in the increase of totalnon-structural carbohydrate under elevated CO2. In leaf, branch, stem and root, theincrements of starch contents comprised 91.45%, 88.23%, 83.23% and 82.01% of theincrements of total non-structural carbohydrate contents.4) Under elevated CO2 the cellulose contents have an increasing tendency in redbirch seedlings. It is needed to investigate the effects of long-term elevated CO2 oncellulose contents in plant.5) There are significant CO2 effects on the allocation of carbohydrate in organs ofred birch seedlings. Under elevated CO2 more carbohydrates were allocated to root.Moreover, CO2 enrichment significantly increased the root to shoot ratio of red birchseedlings and the dry weight of roots. These results supported Gorissen and Cotrufo ‘shypothesis that increase of carbohydrate allocation to root mostly contributed to theincrease of root to shoot ratio.6) Elevated CO2 brought about a reduction in the nitrogen contents of leaf, stem,branch and root. The decline of nitrogen contents under elevated CO2 is mainlycaused by the dilution effects of increasing starch level and growth of red birchseedlings.
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为揭示本氏针茅(Stipa bungeana Trin.)群落的生理生态适应机制,采用根系取样器(Φ=9 cm)对宁夏云雾山本氏针茅群落根系分布特征和土壤含水量进行研究。结果表明:本氏针茅群落地下生物量、根长密度、根表面积、比根长均随土壤深度增加而减少,均表现出向表层(0~20 cm)集聚的趋势,且集中分布于0~40 cm土层,最大值均分布在0~20 cm土层,而底层(80~100 cm)最小;所有主要根系分布参数在0~20 cm和20~40 cm土层之间差异显著,以下各层差异不显著;土壤含水量与根生物量和比根长相关性达显著水平(P<0.05),与根表面积、根长密度均呈成正相关;根表面积、根生物量、根长密度和比根长间相关性均达极显著水平(P<0.01)。
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在黄土高原子午岭林区,对油松人工林、白桦天然林细根生物量、比根长、根长密度和细根表面积的垂直分布特征,以及这些根系指标与土壤水分、土壤容重、氮素和有机质的关系进行了研究。结果表明,油松人工林细根生物量随土壤深度增加呈单峰曲线,白桦林细根生物量随土壤深度增加呈减少趋势;油松林大部分根系生物量集中分布在0—40 cm土层中,其中0—20 cm土层占37%以上,20—40 cm集中了41%以上;表层土壤(0—20 cm)具有较高的比根长、根长密度和细根表面积,而底层(40—60 cm)的比根长、根长密度和细根表面积最低。油松林土壤全氮和有机质含量垂直变化趋势相似,随土壤深度的增加而降低;硝态氮(NO3--N)均随土壤深度的增加呈单峰曲线变化趋势,而铵态氮(NH4+-N)随土壤深度增加呈先降低后增加的抛物线趋势。白桦林75%的细根生物量集中在0—20 cm土层,比根长、根长密度和细根表面积的垂直分布规律与油松林相似,表层土壤白桦林细根表面积是油松人工林的3.91倍,而20—40 cm土层白桦林细根表面积比油松人工林降低了33%。白桦林土壤全氮、有机质含量、NO3--N和NH4+-N垂直变化趋势与油松林相似。土壤水分、...
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Survival of small mammals in winter requires proper adjustments in physiology, behavior and morphology. The present study was designed to examine the changes in serum leptin concentration and the molecular basis of thermogenesis in seasonally acclimatized root voles (Microtus oeconomus) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. In January root voles had lower body mass and body fat mass coupled with higher nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) capacity. Consistently, cytochrome c oxidase activity and mitochondrial uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) protein contents in brown adipose tissues were higher in January as compared to that in July. Circulating level of serum leptin was significantly lower in winter and higher in July. Correlation analysis showed that serum leptin levels were positively related with body mass and body fat mass while negatively correlated with UCP1 protein contents. Together, these data provided further evidence for our previous findings that root voles from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau mainly depend on higher NST coupled with lower body mass to enhance winter survival. Further, fat deposition was significantly mobilized in cold winter and leptin was potentially involved in the regulation of body mass and thermogenesis in root voles. Serum leptin might act as a starvation signal in winter and satiety signal in summer.
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Smooth thin films of three kinds of nickel(II)-azo complexes were prepared by the spin-coating method. Absorption spectra of the thin films on K9 glass substrate in the 300-600 nn wavelength region were measured. Optical constants (complex refractive index N = n + ik) and thickness of the thin films prepared on single-crystal silicon substrate in the 300-600 nm wavelength region were investigated on rotating analyzer-polarizer type of scanning ellipsometer, and dielectric constants epsilon (epsilon = epsilon(1) + i epsilon(2)), absorption coefficients a as well as reflectance R of thin films were then calculated at 405 nm. In addition, in order to examine the possible use of nickel(II)-azo complex thin film as an optical recording medium, one of the nickel(II)-azo complex thin film prepared on K9 glass substrate with an Ag reflective layer was also studied by atomic force microscopy and static optical recording. The results show that the nickel(II)-azo complex thin film is smooth and has a root mean square surface roughness of 2.25 nm, and the recording marks on the nickel(II)-azo complex thin film are very clear and circular, and their size can reach 200 nn or less. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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The effects of organic-rich sediment and sulfide exposure on Hydrilla verticillata were investigated. The organic richness of sediment was simulated by adding sucrose into sediments, and sulfide exposure was conducted by adding sodium sulfide to plant roots. The length, biomass and density of shoot reduced in the sucrose-amended sediments, and the largest reduction occurred in the highest 1.0% addition treatment by 84.2%, 56.7% and 92.4%, respectively. However, the 0.1% addition treatment stimulated the growth of root. The effects of below-ground sulfide exposure on the physiological activities of H. verticillata were determined by adding sulfide to the below-ground tissue. Significantly inhibitory effects of sulfide were observed on plant photosynthesis, root carbohydrate and nitrogen synthetic reserves. The net photosynthetic rates, soluble carbohydrate and soluble protein contents in root were reduced by 104%, 71.8% and 49.8%, respectively, in the 0.6 mM sulfide treatment.
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Coherence evolution and echo effect of an electron spin, which is coupled inhomogeneously to an interacting one-dimensional finite spin bath via hyperfine-type interaction, are studied using the adaptive time-dependent density-matrix renormalization group method. It is found that the interplay of the coupling inhomogeneity and the transverse intrabath interactions results in two qualitatively different coherence evolutions, namely, a coherence-preserving evolution characterized by periodic oscillation and a complete decoherence evolution. Correspondingly, the echo effects induced by an electron-spin flip at time tau exhibit stable recoherence pulse sequence for the periodic evolution and a single peak at root 2 tau for the decoherence evolution, respectively. With the diagonal intrabath interaction included, the specific feature of the periodic regime is kept, while the root 2 tau-type echo effect in the decoherence regime is significantly affected. To render the experimental verifications possible, the Hahn echo envelope as a function of tau is calculated, which eliminates the inhomogeneous broadening effect and serves for the identification of the different status of the dynamic coherence evolution, periodic versus decoherence.
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A Ge layer with a pitting surface can be obtained when the growth temperature is lowered to 290 degrees C. On the low temperature Ge buffer layer with pits, high quality Ge layer was grown at 600 degrees C with a threading dislocation density of similar to 1x10(5)cm(-2). According to channeling and random Rutherford backscattering spectrometry spectra, a chi(min) value of 10% and 3.9% was found, respectively, at the Ge/Si interface and immediately under the surface peak. The root-mean-square surface roughness of Ge film was 0.33nm.
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土壤是人类赖以生存的自然环境和农业生产的重要资源,世界面临的粮食、资源和环境问题与土壤密切相关,目前危害土壤的主要因素是干旱和重金属污染。杨树具有适应性强、生长快和丰产等特性,本论文以青杨组杨树为模式植物,采用植物生态、生理及生物化学等方法,研究杨树对土壤干旱和锰胁迫的生态生理反应以及种群间差异,研究成果可为我国干旱半干旱地区营造人工林、防止沙漠化提供理论依据,也为恢复与重建重金属污染地区退化生态系统提供科学指导。主要研究结果如下: 1. 青海杨不同种群对干旱胁迫的响应差异 干旱胁迫显著降低了两个青海杨种群(干旱种群和湿润种群)生物量积累,包括株高、基径、干物质积累等,通过植物结构的调整,有更多的生物量向根部分配。干旱胁迫还显著降低了叶绿素和类胡萝卜素含量,增加了游离脯氨酸和总氨基酸含量。另一方面,干旱胁迫诱导了活性氧的积累,作为第二信使,激活了抗氧化系统,包括抗坏血酸(ASA)含量和酶系统如超氧化物歧化酶(SOD),愈创木酚过氧化物酶(GPX),抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)和谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)。这样,杨树既有避旱机制又有耐旱机制,使其在干旱胁迫下有相当程度的可塑性。与湿润种群相比,干旱种群杨树有更多的生物量分配到根部,积累了更多的游离脯氨酸和总氨基酸来进行渗透调节,并且有更有效的抗氧化系统,包括更高含量的ASA 和更高活性的APX 和GR,这些使得干旱种群杨树比湿润种群杨树对干旱有更好的耐性。 2. 喷施硝普钠(SNP)对青海杨阿坝种群干旱胁迫耐性的影响 干旱胁迫显著的降低了青海杨阿坝种群的生长和生物量积累以及叶片相对含水量,还诱导了脯氨酸的合成以进行渗透调节。干旱胁迫下过氧化氢(H2O2)显著累积从而造成对膜脂和蛋白的伤害,使得丙二醛和蛋白羰基含量升高。干旱胁迫下喷施SNP可以减轻干旱胁迫造成的伤害,包括增加叶片的相对含水量,增加脯氨酸和总氨基酸的积累,并激活抗氧化酶系统如SOD,GPX和APX,从而减少丙二醛(MDA)和蛋白羰基(C=O)的积累,但是在水分良好情况下SNP的效果不显著。 3. 青杨不同种群对锰胁迫的生长与形态响应差异 在同一锰浓度下,干旱种群的耐性指数都要高于湿润种群,这表明青杨对干旱和高锰胁迫具有交叉耐性。两个种群的株高,生物量和叶绿素含量都随锰浓度的升高而逐渐下降。就累积浓度而言,0 和0.1 mM 锰胁迫下,干旱种群积累的锰浓度要高于湿润种群,而在高浓度锰胁迫下(0.5 和1 mM),湿润种群要高于干旱种群。在0,0.1 和0.5 mM下,锰大多积累在根中,叶片次之,茎中最少。而在1 mM,锰更多的积累在叶片中。就累积总量而言,在各个锰浓度胁迫下,根,茎和叶相比,两个种群青杨都是叶片累积的锰总量要高于根和茎。两个种群间比较,对照中没有显著区别,0.1 mM 锰胁迫下,湿润种群根中累积的锰要高于干旱种群,而在地上部中,干旱种群要高于湿润种群。而0.5 和1 mM 锰胁迫下,根、叶、茎+叶、根+茎+叶中,锰累积总量都是湿润种群高于干旱种群。锰胁迫下,青杨叶片数和叶面积包括总叶面积和平均叶面积都显著降低。叶片横切面的光学显微观察结果表明未经锰胁迫的栅栏组织的细胞饱满,海绵组织发达、清晰;胁迫后杨树叶片栅栏组织细胞出现不同程度的皱缩,海绵组织几乎不可见,此外还发现输导组织在胁迫下密度变小和分生组织严重割裂等现象。 4. 青杨不同种群对锰胁迫的生理与生化响应差异 青杨两个种群脱落酸(ABA)含量在锰胁迫下都显著增加,干旱种群的增幅更大。三种多胺含量在锰胁迫下显示了不同的响应趋势:腐胺在两个种群的各个锰处理下都增加,亚精胺只在干旱种群中显著增加,而精胺除了干旱种群在1 mM 下有所增加外,在锰胁迫下变化很小。谷胱甘肽含量随锰浓度升高而增加,在0.5 mM 锰时达到最高值,1mM 时有所下降。植物络合素(PCs)含量与非蛋白巯基(NP-SH)趋势相似,随锰浓度的升高而增加,且干旱种群中含量要高于湿润种群。锰处理还引起氧化胁迫,表现为过氧化氢和丙二醛含量增加。SOD 活性在湿润种群中,在0 到0.5 mM 锰胁迫下活性升高,但在1 mM 锰胁迫时,其活性有所下降。而在干旱种群中,SOD 活性变化较小,并始终维持在一个较高的水平。APX 活性在两个种群中都随锰浓度的升高而增加,干旱种群活性要高于湿润种群。锰胁迫还显著增加了酚类物质的含量,同时GPX 和多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性也随锰浓度的升高而增加。干旱种群的酚类含量和GPX 与PPO 活性都要高于湿润种群。锰胁迫还改变了氨基酸的含量和构成,根据锰胁迫下浓度变化的不同,可以将游离氨基酸分为三组:第一组包括,谷氨酸,丙氨酸和天门冬氨酸,这一组氨基酸含量在锰胁迫下有所下降。第二组包括缬氨酸,亮氨酸和苏氨酸含量在锰胁迫下基本不变化或变化很小。剩下的氨基酸为第三组,这组氨基酸含量在锰胁迫下显著增加,而根据增加的幅度又可以将它们分为两个亚组,丝氨酸,酪氨酸,苯丙氨酸,组氨酸和脯氨酸,在1 mM 下的含量是对照的4 倍以上。异亮氨酸,赖氨酸,精氨酸和甘氨酸含量在1 mM 下是对照含量的2 倍以下。同时,同一锰浓度下,干旱种群比湿润种群积累的氨基酸含量要高。 Soil is the indispensable environment for human survival and important resource foragriculture development. Food and environmental problems facing the world are all closelyrelated to soil and nowadays it is threatened by many factors, among which drought stress andheavy metal pollution are the most serious ones. Poplars (Populus spp.) are importantcomponents of ecosystem and suitable as a source of fuel, fiber and lumber due to their fastgrowth. In this study, different populations of Section Tacamahaca spach were used as modelplants to investigate the adaptability to drought stress and manganese toxicity and differencesbetween populations from dry and wet climate regions. Our results can provide theoreticalevidence for the afforestation and prevention of desertification in the arid and semi-arid areas,and also can supply scientific direction for the reconstruction and rehalibitation of ecosystemscontaminated by heavy metals. The results are as follows: 1. Differences in ecophysiological responses to drought stress in two contrastingpopulations of Populus przewalskii Drought stress not only significantly affected dry mass accumulation and allocation, butalso significantly decreased chlorophyll pigment contents and accumulated free proline andtotal amino acids. On the other hand, drought also significantly increased the levels ofabscisic acid and reactive oxygen species, as secondary messengers, to induce the entire set ofantioxidative systems including the increase of reduced ascorbic acid content and the activities of superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathioneredutase. Thus the combination of drought avoidance and tolerance mechanisms conferredpoplar a high degree of plasticity in response to drought stress. Compared with the wetclimate population, the dry climate population showed lower dry matter accumulation andallocated more biomass to root systems, and accumulated more free proline and total aminoacids for osmotic adjustment. The dry climate population also showed more efficientantioxidant systems with higher content of ascorbic acid and higher activities of ascorbateperoxidase and glutathione redutase than the wet climate population. All these made the dryclimate population superior in adaptation to drought stress than the wet climate population. 2. Effect of exogenous applied SNP on drought tolerance in Populus przewalskii Drought stress significantly increased hydrogen peroxide content and caused oxidativestress to lipids and proteins assessed by the increase in malondialdehyde and total carbonylcontents, respectively. The cuttings of P. przewalskii accumulated proline and other aminoacids for osmotic adjustment to lower water potential, and activated the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase to maintain thebalance of generation and quenching of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, exogenous SNPapplication significantly heightened the growth performance of P. przewalskii cuttings underdrought treatment by promotion of proline accumulation and activation of antioxidant enzymeactivities, while under well-watered treatment the effect of SNP application was very little. 3. Morphological responses to manganese toxicity in the two contrasting populations ofPopulus cathayana High concentration of manganese caused significant decrease in shoot height andbiomass accumulation. The tolerance index of the dry climate population was significantlyhigher than that of the wet climate population, suggesting the superior Mn tolerance in theformer and the existence of cross-tolerance of drought stress and high Mn toxicity. Injuries tothe leaf anatomical features were also found as the reduced thickness in palisade and spongyparenchyma, the decreased density in the conducting tissue and the collapse and split in themeristematic tissue in the central vein. As for the Mn concentrations in the plant tissues, under0, 0.1 and 0.5 mM, most of the Mn accumulated in the roots, then leaves, and stem the least, while under 1 mM, most of the Mn accumulated in the leaves. As far as the total amounts ofMn extraction are concerned, the leaf extracted more Mn than the root and stem in the twopopulations under various Mn concentrations. There is no difference between the twopopulations under control. Under 0.1 mM, the wet climate population extracted higher Mn inthe root than the dry climate population, while in the shoot, the dry climate populationextracted much more Mn. Under 0.5 and 1 mM, the wet climate population translocated moreMn both in the root and the shoot than the dry climate population. 4. Physiological and biochemical responses to manganese toxicity in the two contrastingpopulations of Populus cathayana Mn treatment resulted in oxidative stress indicated by the oxidation to lipids, proteinsand DNA. A regulated network of defence strategies was employed for the chelation,detoxification and tolerance of Mn including the enhanced synthesis of ABA and polyamines,the accumulation of free amino acids, especially His and Pro, and the activation of theenzymes superoxide dismutase and guaiacol peroxidase. Contents of non-protein thiol,reduced glutathione, phytochelatins and phenolics compounds and activities of superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase also increased significantly forantioxidant or chelation functions. The wet climate population not only accumulated lessabscisic acid, free amino acids, phytochelatins and phenolics compounds, but also exhibitedlower activities of superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase thusresulting in more serious oxidative damage and more curtained growth.