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. 2022 Aug 25;12(9):1310.
doi: 10.3390/life12091310.

Photosynthesis, Nitrogen Allocation, Non-Structural Carbohydrate Allocation, and C:N:P Stoichiometry of Ulmus elongata Seedlings Exposed to Different Light Intensities

Guangyu Luo  1   2   3 , Junmin Li  2   3 , Shuiliang Guo  1 , Yueling Li  2   3 , Zexin Jin  2   3
Affiliations

Photosynthesis, Nitrogen Allocation, Non-Structural Carbohydrate Allocation, and C:N:P Stoichiometry of Ulmus elongata Seedlings Exposed to Different Light Intensities

Guangyu Luo et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

The leaf photosynthetic capacity, leaf N partitioning, non-structural carbohydrate content, C, N, and P contents of endangered U. elongata seedlings exposed to different light intensities were compared in this study. The most favorable light condition for the survival and growth of U. elongata seedlings in the present study was 100% full sunlight, as this induced higher Pn, PNUE, PC, PR, PB, and NSC content relative to shade-treated seedlings. PNUE, PR, PC, and PB in U. elongata seedling leaves decreased under 40% and 10% full sunlight, while PL increased, indicating that shade increased the light capture efficiency of photosystem (PS) II but decreased electron transfer from PSII to PSI. Furthermore, leaf N content increased with shade intensity, revealing an adaptive strategy for poor light environments. Additionally, the smallest leaf biomass, Pn, WUE, and CE values and C:N and C:P ratios in stems and leaves were observed under 10% full sunlight. These results indicate that seedlings growing under 40% full sunlight will benefit U. elongata conservation.

Keywords: C:N:P stoichiometry; Ulmus elongata; nitrogen allocation; non-structural carbohydrates; photosynthetic parameters; rare and endangered plants.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Photosynthetic parameters in Ulmus elongata leaves under different light intensity levels. (A) Net photosynthetic rate (Pn); (B) Stomatal conductance (Gs); (C) Intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci); (D) Transpiration rate (Tr). Data are presented as the mean ± SE. For each panel, bars labeled with different small letters indicate a significant difference at 0.05 levels.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Allocation proportion of carbon (A), nitrogen (B), and phosphorus (C) in the leaf, stem, and root tissues of Ulmus elongata seedlings in response to light intensity levels. For each panel, bars labeled with different letters indicate a significant difference at 0.05 levels.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Soluble sugar content (A), starch content (B), non-structural carbon (NSC) content (C), and soluble sugar-to-starch ratio (SSRs) (D) in leaf, stem, and root tissues of Ulmus elongata seedlings in response to light intensity levels. For each panel, bars labeled with different letters indicate a significant difference at 0.05 levels.
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