Yong, Jean W.H
- Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Ipomoea carnea Jacq., a widespread invasive medicinal plant, thrives across diverse ecosystems, from deserts and wetlands to plains and mountains. Investigating its adaptations across different elevations is crucial for formulating land management strategies. This study explores the structural and functional plasticity of I. carnea along diverse mountain elevations. Plant and soil samples were collected along an elevation gradient (400–2400 m) from Punjab, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir to assess plant eco-physiological parameters in relation to soil and climate properties. Results revealed a consistent increase in flavonoids, phenolics, soluble sugars, proteins, free amino acids, glycine betaine, and proline with elevation, enabling I. carnea to utilize physiological mechanisms such as osmotic adjustment—a prime stress resistance phenomenon—to survive under suboptimal conditions. Chlorophyll a decreased at higher elevations. Leaf vascular bundles and metaxylem tissues are significantly reduced at higher elevations, an essential strategy against cavitation or embolism. Another critical modification for high-elevation survival was reducing root, stem, and leaf cortical regions to minimize metabolic cost. Stomata size was largest at moderate elevations and smallest at high elevations, reducing transpiration water loss. Increased sclerification intensity in roots, stems, and leaves at high elevations provided rigidity to metabolically active cells. These anatomical and physiological adaptations allowed I. carnea populations to invade various environmental conditions, from drylands to the high-elevation Himalayan ranges. Our results suggest that these adaptations are crucial for their ecological success, facilitating land stabilization and reducing soil erosion at mountainous elevations. Efficient control measures must be implemented in areas with abundant I. carnea growth.
Keywords
adaptive strategies; anatomical modifications; ecological plasticity; invasive species; physiological stress resistance mechanisms; structural attributes
Published in
Land Degradation and Development
2025
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Ecology
Botany
Climate Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5681
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/142147