Leaf Traits and Adaptation Strategies to Different Light Environments in Lianas and Herbaceous Vines

Taking 9 kinds of lianas and 5 kinds of herbaceous vines in South China as the research objects, by measuring the leaf trait indicators of 2 types of vines under full sun and shade environments, the differences and correlations of their leaf traits were studied, and their leaf economic spectrum was analyzed and discussed in depth. The results showed that the 14 vines exhibited different adaptation strategies in adapting to different light environments, and the overall performance was to adapt to the shady environment by adopting strategies such as expanding SLA, reducing LT, increasing LWC, and reducing LDMC. The SLA of herbaceous vines was significantly higher than that of lianas, while the LDMC of lianas was significantly higher than that of herbaceous vines. Leaf functional traits SLA, LNC, LD, LDMC, and LWC were closely correlated. It showed a trade-off relationship that SLA was extremely significantly negatively correlated with LDMC and LD, and extremely significantly positively correlated with LNC and LWC. The clustering results show that Epipremnum aureum and Syngonium podophyllum are shade-tolerant plants, and Ipomoea cairica, Paederia scandens, Antigonon leptopus, Mussaenda pubescens, Pyrostegia venusta, Cissus verticillata and Holmskioldia sanguinea are the neutral partial-sun plants, and Artabotrys hexapetalus, Trachelospermum jasminoid, Allemanda cathartica, Bougainvillea sp. and Mucuna birdwoodiana linseed vines are sun-loving plants.