Photosynthetica 2008, 46(2):303 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-008-0055-3

Photosynthetic pathway of dominant plant species in the Qaidam Basin: evidence from foliar stable carbon isotope measurement

H. Chen1,2,3,*, X. L. Xu3, M. H. Song3, H. Ouyang3
1 Key Laboratory of Land Use, China Land Surveying and Planning Institute, Ministry of Land and Resources, Beijing, P.R. China
2 College of Resources and Environment Sciencesn, Hebei Normal University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction, Shijiazhuang, P.R. China
3 Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China

Foliar δ13C values of Calligogum kozlovi and Haloxylon ammodendron ranged from -13.13 to -15.11 ‰, while those of the rest 11 species were in the range of -22.22 to -27.73 ‰. This indicates that two of 13 dominant plant species in the Qaidam Basin possess a C4 photosynthetic pathway. Significant differences were observed for the average foliar δ13C values between C3 or C4 plant communities, between grass and shrub communities, even between the same species derived from different sites. Precipitation accounted for the major part of the differences.

Additional key words: C3 plants; C4 plants; desert vegetation; precipitation

Received: August 13, 2007; Accepted: November 1, 2007; Published: June 1, 2008  Show citation

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Chen, H., Xu, X.L., Song, M.H., & Ouyang, H. (2008). Photosynthetic pathway of dominant plant species in the Qaidam Basin: evidence from foliar stable carbon isotope measurement. Photosynthetica, 46(2), 303. doi: 10.1007/s11099-008-0055-3
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