ArticleAnnals of botany2026
Shifts in leaf phosphorus fractions as dependent on plant age as an adaptive strategy for survival in the shade-tolerant Coptis chinensis.
Article in Annals of botany, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Contrasting photosynthetic capacity and carbon allocation under increasing irradiance in twoFrontiers in plant science · 2026Article
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9 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsPhosphorus (P) allocation as dependent on a plant's age is a critical yet understudied factor in the adaptive strategies of shade-tolerant plants. We investigated how Coptis chinensis, a perennial medicinal plant species, allocates leaf P fractions and exhibits leaf structural modifications in response to the understorey light environment.
methodsBy analysing leaf P fractions, chlorophyll concentrations, photosynthetic parameters and leaf anatomical traits in juvenile (2- and 3-year-old) and adult (5-year-old) plants, we uncovered age-dependent shifts in leaf P fractions that balanced photoprotection and growth. KEY
resultsLeaves of juvenile plants allocated a greater proportion of P to nucleic acid P (PN), exhibited higher photoprotective pigment-to-chlorophyll ratios and maintained greater specific leaf area (SLA) with thinner tissue structures. The proportion of PN was positively correlated with photoprotective pigment-to-chlorophyll ratio, indicating that enhanced PN allocation contributes to light-stress resilience and early-stage growth. In contrast, as plants progressed to the adult stage leaves showed a marked shift towards higher allocation to metabolite P (PM), which correlated with higher photosynthetic rates, higher chlorophyll concentrations and increased Rubisco enzyme activity. Concurrent structural modifications, including thicker palisade mesophyll and reduced SLA, further supported enhanced photosynthetic performance. This developmental transition from PN-dominant to PM-dominant allocation thus reflects a physiological acclimation that sustains photosynthesis and improves photosynthetic P-use efficiency under shaded conditions.
conclusionsOur findings highlight a dynamic interplay between P allocation and structural acclimations in C. chinensis leaves, revealing an adaptive strategy that balances photoprotection and growth across different ages. By demonstrating how resource allocation shifts with age in a shade-adapted perennial, this study offers novel insights into the evolutionary strategies that underpin long-term survival and productivity in understorey environments.
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