Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, China

Abstract Xinjiang, China, is arid, and its ecological environment is fragile. Tulipa iliensis is mainly distributed in the Xinjiang region of China, with an altitude of around 800–2100 m. As an important part of desert vegetation, it plays a very important role in the stability of regional ecosystem...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Douwen Qin, Weiqiang Liu, Xiaowen Zheng, Tingliang Xu, Xiuting Ju
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07177-3
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849226493947805696
author Douwen Qin
Weiqiang Liu
Xiaowen Zheng
Tingliang Xu
Xiuting Ju
author_facet Douwen Qin
Weiqiang Liu
Xiaowen Zheng
Tingliang Xu
Xiuting Ju
author_sort Douwen Qin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Xinjiang, China, is arid, and its ecological environment is fragile. Tulipa iliensis is mainly distributed in the Xinjiang region of China, with an altitude of around 800–2100 m. As an important part of desert vegetation, it plays a very important role in the stability of regional ecosystems. To understand how Tulipa iliensis adapts to changes in altitude in arid areas and uncover its ecological adaptation strategy, the study focused on the rhizosphere soil from seven natural distribution areas (1386~2073 m) of Tulipa iliensis in Xinjiang. The growth indicators (plant height, leaf length, fresh weight and dry weight of each organ), physical and chemical properties of the rhizosphere soil (total nitrogen, organic matter, organic carbon, total phosphorus, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, pH, moisture content) and rhizosphere soil enzyme activities (phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, urease, sucrase, catalase) of Tulipa iliensis in each distribution area were determined, revealing the response of the ecological adaptation of Tulipa iliensis to altitude change. The results revealed that (1) at altitudes ranging from 1386 ~ 2073 m, the variation coefficient of the growth indicators of Tulipa iliensis ranged from 7.64 to 48.62%; among them, the variation degree of the leaf fresh weight was the highest, the variation coefficient was 48.62%, the variation degree of the root dry weight was the smallest, and the variation coefficient was 7.64%. Moreover, regression analysis revealed that altitude was significantly positively correlated with the plant height and leaf length of Tulipa iliensis, which was the main factor affecting its growth indicators. (2) The coefficients of variation for the physical and chemical properties of the rhizosphere soil of associated with Tulipa iliensis exhibited a range from 2.47 to 53.43%; Notably, total potassium, available phosphorus, organic carbon, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and total nitrogen displayed coefficients of variation exceeding 40%; In constrast, the variation in pH was minimal, with pH values ranging from 7.52 to 8.07, which suggests that the soil is weakly alkaline in nature. (3) As altitude increases, the coefficient of variation for the rhizosphere soil enzyme activity of Tulipa iliensis exhibited a range from 10.87 to 34.29%, the enzyme with the highest variation was soil sucrase, while the enzyme demonstrating the least variation was rhizosphere soil polyphenol oxidase. (4) Redundancy analysis indicated that the total nitrogen, total phosphorus and sucrase activities in the rhizosphere soil of Tulipa iliensis were the key factors influencing its adaptation to various ecological environments. The findings of this research offer significant theoretical insights for the sustainable management of Tulipa iliensis vegetation in arid regions, as well as for the restoration and rehabilitation of desert ecosystems.
format Article
id doaj-art-526c81b2a27a46a5af5446b5b89fb9e8
institution Kabale University
issn 1471-2229
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Plant Biology
spelling doaj-art-526c81b2a27a46a5af5446b5b89fb9e82025-08-24T11:16:43ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-08-0125111410.1186/s12870-025-07177-3Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, ChinaDouwen Qin0Weiqiang Liu1Xiaowen Zheng2Tingliang Xu3Xiuting Ju4College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai UniversityCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai UniversityCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai UniversityCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai UniversityCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai UniversityAbstract Xinjiang, China, is arid, and its ecological environment is fragile. Tulipa iliensis is mainly distributed in the Xinjiang region of China, with an altitude of around 800–2100 m. As an important part of desert vegetation, it plays a very important role in the stability of regional ecosystems. To understand how Tulipa iliensis adapts to changes in altitude in arid areas and uncover its ecological adaptation strategy, the study focused on the rhizosphere soil from seven natural distribution areas (1386~2073 m) of Tulipa iliensis in Xinjiang. The growth indicators (plant height, leaf length, fresh weight and dry weight of each organ), physical and chemical properties of the rhizosphere soil (total nitrogen, organic matter, organic carbon, total phosphorus, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, pH, moisture content) and rhizosphere soil enzyme activities (phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, urease, sucrase, catalase) of Tulipa iliensis in each distribution area were determined, revealing the response of the ecological adaptation of Tulipa iliensis to altitude change. The results revealed that (1) at altitudes ranging from 1386 ~ 2073 m, the variation coefficient of the growth indicators of Tulipa iliensis ranged from 7.64 to 48.62%; among them, the variation degree of the leaf fresh weight was the highest, the variation coefficient was 48.62%, the variation degree of the root dry weight was the smallest, and the variation coefficient was 7.64%. Moreover, regression analysis revealed that altitude was significantly positively correlated with the plant height and leaf length of Tulipa iliensis, which was the main factor affecting its growth indicators. (2) The coefficients of variation for the physical and chemical properties of the rhizosphere soil of associated with Tulipa iliensis exhibited a range from 2.47 to 53.43%; Notably, total potassium, available phosphorus, organic carbon, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and total nitrogen displayed coefficients of variation exceeding 40%; In constrast, the variation in pH was minimal, with pH values ranging from 7.52 to 8.07, which suggests that the soil is weakly alkaline in nature. (3) As altitude increases, the coefficient of variation for the rhizosphere soil enzyme activity of Tulipa iliensis exhibited a range from 10.87 to 34.29%, the enzyme with the highest variation was soil sucrase, while the enzyme demonstrating the least variation was rhizosphere soil polyphenol oxidase. (4) Redundancy analysis indicated that the total nitrogen, total phosphorus and sucrase activities in the rhizosphere soil of Tulipa iliensis were the key factors influencing its adaptation to various ecological environments. The findings of this research offer significant theoretical insights for the sustainable management of Tulipa iliensis vegetation in arid regions, as well as for the restoration and rehabilitation of desert ecosystems.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07177-3Tulipa IliensisAltitudeRhizosphere soilGrowth indicatorAdaptive mechanism
spellingShingle Douwen Qin
Weiqiang Liu
Xiaowen Zheng
Tingliang Xu
Xiuting Ju
Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, China
BMC Plant Biology
Tulipa Iliensis
Altitude
Rhizosphere soil
Growth indicator
Adaptive mechanism
title Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, China
title_full Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, China
title_fullStr Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, China
title_full_unstemmed Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, China
title_short Research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of Tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area, China
title_sort research on the ecological adaptation mechanism of tulipa iliensis to different altitude in arid area china
topic Tulipa Iliensis
Altitude
Rhizosphere soil
Growth indicator
Adaptive mechanism
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07177-3
work_keys_str_mv AT douwenqin researchontheecologicaladaptationmechanismoftulipailiensistodifferentaltitudeinaridareachina
AT weiqiangliu researchontheecologicaladaptationmechanismoftulipailiensistodifferentaltitudeinaridareachina
AT xiaowenzheng researchontheecologicaladaptationmechanismoftulipailiensistodifferentaltitudeinaridareachina
AT tingliangxu researchontheecologicaladaptationmechanismoftulipailiensistodifferentaltitudeinaridareachina
AT xiutingju researchontheecologicaladaptationmechanismoftulipailiensistodifferentaltitudeinaridareachina