Climate and soil: Key Drivers of Plant Traits and Community Functional Differences in the Lakeshore Wetlands of Northern China

Abstract

Wetlands, integral constituents of natural ecosystems, play a pivotal role in bolstering biodiversity and providing habitats. Diminished lake expanses, degradation of wetlands, and pollution in arid and semi-arid regions present threats to the structural and functional aspects of wetland ecosystems. This study employed plant functional traits to assess changes in the functional composition of plant communities in lakeshore wetland ecosystems in the arid and semi-arid regions of the Mongolian Plateau in northern China, as well as to explore the effects of climatic and soil heterogeneity gradients on wetland ecosystem function. Our findings reveal that all trait metrics can be categorized into three primary trait groups: plant nutrient traits, plant structural traits, and plant energy acquisition traits. Environmental heterogeneity drove variations in plant functional traits across different spatial scales. Soil and climatic factors combine to explain variation in wetland plant community characteristics and functional diversity, with soil moisture content as a key factor influencing functional diversity. In some lake lakeshore region habitats that were seasonally waterlogged for an extended period, seasonal precipitation might impact plant structural traits. The functioning of the ecosystem is predominantly shaped by community structural traits, functional diversity, and soil factors. This study extensively examines the interplay among the functional traits, functional structure, and ecosystem function within lakeshore plant communities. This exploration holds paramount significance in establishing a scientific foundation for the restoration and reconstruction of wetland ecosystem vegetation in the lakeshore regions.