MORPHOLOGICAL VARIABILITY OF LEAVES OF ACER NEGUNDO L. POPULATIONS IN THE ALTITUDINAL GRADIENT OF THE NORTH-WEST CAUCASUS (REPUBLIC OF ADYGEA)
Background. The morphological structure variability of plant leaves gives an idea of plant adaptation. Understanding the adaptive strategies of invasive species, including Аcer negundo L. based on morphological mechanisms of adaptation in the altitude gradient is relevant for predicting of A. negund...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Science and Innovation Center Publishing House
2024-08-01
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| Series: | Siberian Journal of Life Sciences and Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://discover-journal.ru/jour/index.php/sjlsa/article/view/874 |
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| Summary: | Background. The morphological structure variability of plant leaves gives an idea of plant adaptation. Understanding the adaptive strategies of invasive species, including Аcer negundo L. based on morphological mechanisms of adaptation in the altitude gradient is relevant for predicting of A. negundo behavior in the floodplain forests of Adygea and will be a basis for further study of A. negundo invasiveness in the North-West Caucasus.
Purpose. Identification of the morphological parameters variability of the leaf of Аcer negundo L. populations in the altitudinal gradient of the North-West Caucasus (The Republic of Adygea).
Materials and methods. Four populations of the invasive species A. negundo, growing in the Republic of Adygea territory (North-West Caucasus) at a height of 120 to 600 metres above sea level were the research material. Morphological features of the leaf (maximum length of the leaf blade, maximum width, angle between the central and lateral vein of the upper leaf) were measured with a caliper with an accuracy of ± 0.01 mm and a protractor with an accuracy of 1°; leaf thickness – by a Turgoromer-1 device with a measuring head of the TN10-60T system; leaf area calculation – using algorithms in Python 3.1. Statistical analysis of the morphological features variability was performed by means of descriptive statistics methods, principal component analysis, correlation analysis, variance and cluster analysis and linear regression with the programming language Python 3.11.1.
Results. Intrapopulation variability of morphological parameters of the four populations leaf of A. negundo in the altitudinal gradient of the North-West Caucasus (Republic of Adygea) at a height of 120 to 600 metres above sea level was at medium and high levels.
The interpopulation variability of morphological features of A. negundo (maximum length, width of the leaf blade, index of the leaf blade and fluctuating asymmetry) had a weak influence of the altitudinal gradient. Of all the natural and climatic factors, the morphological features of the A. negundo leaf are considerably influenced by altitude and precipitation, which is confirmed by the results of linear regression. The morphological differences of the populations most strongly differing in altitude and precipitation were confirmed by the method of principal components and cluster analysis.
Conclusion. The higher variability of traits for populations of A. negundo in different environmental conditions determined by the altitudinal gradient can be considered as a manifestation of adaptive morphogenesis, that indicates the high ecological plasticity of A. negundo and the ability to withstand the influence of changing environmental factors. |
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| ISSN: | 2658-6649 2658-6657 |