采用开顶式增温小室(OTCs)方法模拟气候变暖,分别选取青藏高原腹地风火山地区高寒小嵩草草甸和高寒藏嵩草沼泽草甸优势物种小嵩草和藏嵩草为研究对象,对比分析增温处理下两种优势物种叶片的形态与生理特征变化,从而探索高寒植物对气候变暖的内在响应机理.结果表明:增温显著增加了小嵩草叶片长度(40.0%)和叶片数量(72.7%),也显著增加了藏嵩草株高(11.9%)和叶片长度(19.3%),促进了两种优势植物的形态生长和地上生物量增加.增温处理下小嵩草和藏嵩草叶片的膜透性(电导率),活性氧(过氧化氢和超氧阴离子自由基),超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶和过氧化氢酶活性,丙二醛含量均没有显著变化.但抗坏血酸和游离脯氨酸含量在藏嵩草叶片内分别显著增加了29.8%和53.8%,而在小嵩草叶片内没有明显变化.可见,增温下小嵩草和藏嵩草均能够维持正常的抗氧化水平,以维持该区域优势植物生长;但藏嵩草生理过程对增温更加敏感.
In the present study, open top chambers (OTCs) were employed to simulate temperature increase at Fenghuoshan site, located on the hinterland of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. To explore the potential response mechanism of alpine plants under warmer temperature, the leaf morphological and antioxidative characteristics of two dominant species of alpine meadow ( Kobresia pygmaea) and alpine swamp meadow (K. tibetica) were analyzed. The results showed that length and numbers of leaves in K. pygmaea increased by 40.0% and 72.7% by warming, respectively. Plant height and leaf length in K. tibetica increased by 11.9% and 19.3% by warming, respectively. Warming im- proved plant growth and aboveground biomass accumulation in both species. However, warming did not affect leaf membrane permeability ( electrolyte leakage), active oxygen species ( hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion), activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase, and malondialdehyde content in both species. Ascorbic acid and free proline contents in K. tibetica increased by 29.8% and 53.8%, respectively, but no change was found in K. pygmaea. In conclusion, K. pygmaea and K. tibetica could adapt under warmer temperature through keeping a steady antioxidative status.