ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Abiotic Stress
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1619386
Age-dependent shifts in root resource allocation strategies of Pinus yunnanensis seedlings under variable light gradients
Provisionally accepted
- 1Key Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, China
- 2Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of In-forest Resource, Southwest Forestry University, Yunnan Kunming, 650224, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China, China
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To elucidate how seedling age affects shade adaptation mechanisms in Pinus yunnanensis, we conducted a light intensity experiment with 1-and 3-year-old seedlings under five light levels (100%, 80%, 45%, 30%, and 5% of full sunlight). We evaluated the root non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry, and biomass allocation using phenotypic plasticity indices and correlation analysis. Phenotypic plasticity analysis revealed distinct age-dependent strategies: 1-year-old seedlings prioritized root morphological features (biomass, surface area) and starch storage, whereas 3-year-old seedlings prioritized metabolic flexibility (soluble sugar/starch ratio, N/P balance). Correlation analyses further demonstrated agespecific resource allocation patterns; in 1-year-old seedlings, biomass was associated with the root C/P ratio and starch reserves, whereas in 3-year-old seedlings, growth was associated with soluble sugars and N metabolism. Investment in photosynthetic organs (needle biomass) was prioritized under shade in 1-year-old seedlings, which is consistent with the source-sink theory; however, the root C content of these seedlings was reduced, and their N uptake was enhanced to maintain chlorophyll synthesis. Conversely, survival was prioritized in 3-year-old seedlings by increasing the amount of structural C in roots and optimizing C:N:P stoichiometry (e.g., lower C/N ratio and higher N/P ratio), which is consistent with the C storage priority hypothesis. These findings highlight a developmental transition from growth-driven C allocation in young seedlings to survival-oriented stoichiometric adjustments in older seedlings, which provides important insights for silvicultural practices in heterogeneous light environments.
Keywords: Pinus yunnanensis, light intensity, root nutrient acquisition and storage, biomass allocation, Different ages
Received: 28 Apr 2025; Accepted: 25 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Yuanxi, Duan, Wu and Shi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Junwen Wu, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of In-forest Resource, Southwest Forestry University, Yunnan Kunming, 650224, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China, China
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