Leaf Anatomical and Transcriptomic Coordination Underlies Drought Resilience in Psammophytes
Shangbin Shi1,2, Wenda Huang1,3, Yuanzhong Zhu1,2
1Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|November 13, 2025
Summary
Climate change threatens sandy grasslands. This study reveals how three native plants adapt to drought, highlighting specific molecular and anatomical strategies for ecological restoration and sustainable vegetation recovery.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Plant Physiology
- Genomics
Background:
- Global climate change causes reduced precipitation, threatening sandy grassland ecosystems.
- Psammophyte adaptive strategies are vital for desertification control and ecosystem sustainability.
- Understanding plant responses to drought is crucial for ecological restoration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate drought resistance mechanisms in three dominant psammophytes from Horqin Sandy Grassland.
- To integrate leaf anatomy and transcriptomics to decipher adaptive strategies.
- To provide insights for sustainable vegetation recovery in sandy grasslands.
Main Methods:
- Leaf anatomy analysis.
- Transcriptomic analysis using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq).
- Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA).
Main Results:
- Artemisia scoparia (C3 herb) showed robust transcriptomic response, linking tyrosine metabolism to cuticular thickening.
- Lespedeza davurica (C3 semi-shrub) displayed superior anatomical adaptation via phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.
- Cleistogenes squarrosa (C4 herb) exhibited drought sensitivity, with disrupted flavonoid biosynthesis and circadian rhythms; C4 species showed higher precipitation dependence.
Conclusions:
- Shrubs are recommended as primary stabilizers for sand fixation in ecological restoration.
- Breeding herbaceous genotypes with optimized traits is suggested for sustainable vegetation recovery.
- Molecular-anatomical insights guide restoration efforts in sandy grasslands facing climate change.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:57Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
27.9K
Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
27.9K
02:41Responses to Drought and Flooding
11.9K
Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
11.9K
02:02Responses to Salt Stress
14.4K
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
14.4K
02:04Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
30.8K
During photosynthesis, plants acquire the necessary carbon dioxide and release the produced oxygen back into the atmosphere. Openings in the epidermis of plant leaves is the site of this exchange of gasses. A single opening is called a stoma—derived from the Greek word for “mouth.” Stomata open and close in response to a variety of environmental cues.
30.8K
02:45Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
14.6K
Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
14.6K
02:03Xylem and Transpiration-driven Transport of Resources
26.2K
The xylem of vascular plants distributes water and dissolved minerals that are taken up by the roots to the rest of the plant. The cells that transport xylem sap are dead upon maturity, and the movement of xylem sap is a passive process.
26.2K