Mixed Planting Can Improve Leaf Gas Exchange by Diversifying Plant Water Absorption Strategy.

ABSTRACT: Plants with diverse neighbors often exhibit significant variation in water absorption strategies, yet the responses of leaf gas exchange traits to water absorption strategies remain complex and uncertain. Therefore, we examined Robinia pseudoacacia and Quercus acutissima forests in the warm temperate zone, quantifying the water absorption strategies and leaf gas exchange traits across seasons to assess the impact of water absorption strategies dynamics. Our results demonstrate that mixed planting significantly enhanced the net photosynthetic rate compared to pure planting across all seasons, with a particularly pronounced effect for Q. acutissima. Furthermore, mixed planting promoted instantaneous water use efficiency in R. pseudoacacia while reducing transpirat

SUBMITTER: Liu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12790869 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature