Physiological response strategies of pioneer endemic species Artemisia wudanica along an aeolian disturbance gradient in semi-arid active sand dunes
6 affiliations
- 1CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , ,
- 2State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation and Management of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry , ,
- 3Tai’an County Jiuguhe Agricultural Development Co., LTD , , ,
- 4College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University , ,
- 5College of Chemistry and Life Science, Anshan Normal University , , ,
- 6Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis , , ,
Abstract
Introduction: Wind erosion and sand burial are recurrent but physically distinct aeolian disturbances in semi-arid dune systems. We investigated how Artemisia wudanica seedlings respond physiologically to matched relative gradients of simulated substrate removal and sand burial under controlled pot conditions.
Methods: Seedlings were subjected to five simulated wind-erosion levels (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 cm) and five sand-burial levels (0, 1.7, 3.3, 5.0, and 6.7 cm). Chlorophyll, proline, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde (MDA), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were quantified. Treatment effects were evaluated using two-way ANOVA, PCA of standardized variables, disturbance-specific Spearman correlations, and an exploratory path analysis.
Results: Disturbance type, relative disturbance level, and their interaction affected all six physiological traits, and PCA separated the two-treatment series in multivariate space. Under sand burial, chlorophyll, proline, and soluble sugar showed positive within-treatment covariation after Spearman correlations. Under simulated wind erosion, POD and SOD covaried positively, whereas MDA was not significantly correlated with either antioxidant enzyme; chlorophyll–proline and soluble sugar–MDA associations also remained significant after correction. The exploratory path model had limited overall fit and was used only to summarize statistical associations, not to establish causal physiological mechanisms.
Discussion: Under the controlled conditions of this seedling experiment, the two isolated treatments were associated with different physiological response and covariation patterns. These results provide testable hypotheses about disturbance-specific seedling responses rather than evidence of switchable association, population-level persistence, or restoration performance. Validation is required under field conditions, across additional life stages, and with pulsed and combined erosion–burial events.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026physiological,
title = {{Physiological response strategies of pioneer endemic species Artemisia wudanica along an aeolian disturbance gradient in semi-arid active sand dunes}},
author = {Chi Zhang and Haitao Wang and Yongcui Wang and Yu Qiu and Lei Chu and Jianqiang Qian and Quanlai Zhou and Alamusa and Lian Jia and Lixin Wang},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2026.1981049},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661353},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Physiological response strategies of pioneer endemic species Artemisia wudanica along an aeolian disturbance gradient in semi-arid active sand dunes
AU - Chi Zhang
AU - Haitao Wang
AU - Yongcui Wang
AU - Yu Qiu
AU - Lei Chu
AU - Jianqiang Qian
AU - Quanlai Zhou
AU - Alamusa
AU - Lian Jia
AU - Lixin Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Frontiers in plant science
DO - 10.3389/fpls.2026.1981049
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661353
AB - Introduction: Wind erosion and sand burial are recurrent but physically distinct aeolian disturbances in semi-arid dune systems. We investigated how Artemisia wudanica seedlings respond physiologically to matched relative gradients of simulated substrate removal and sand burial under controlled pot conditions. Methods: Seedlings were subjected to five simulated wind-erosion levels (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 cm) and five sand-burial levels (0, 1.7, 3.3, 5.0, and 6.7 cm). Chlorophyll, proline, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde (MDA), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were quantified. Treatment effects were evaluated using two-way ANOVA, PCA of standardized variables, disturbance-specific Spearman correlations, and an exploratory path analysis. Results: Disturbance type, relative disturbance level, and their interaction affected all six physiological traits, and PCA separated the two-treatment series in multivariate space. Under sand burial, chlorophyll, proline, and soluble sugar showed positive within-treatment covariation after Spearman correlations. Under simulated wind erosion, POD and SOD covaried positively, whereas MDA was not significantly correlated with either antioxidant enzyme; chlorophyll–proline and soluble sugar–MDA associations also remained significant after correction. The exploratory path model had limited overall fit and was used only to summarize statistical associations, not to establish causal physiological mechanisms. Discussion: Under the controlled conditions of this seedling experiment, the two isolated treatments were associated with different physiological response and covariation patterns. These results provide testable hypotheses about disturbance-specific seedling responses rather than evidence of switchable association, population-level persistence, or restoration performance. Validation is required under field conditions, across additional life stages, and with pulsed and combined erosion–burial events.
SN - 1664-462X
ER -