Variation in leaf trait networks of xerophytes along a dune stabilization gradient

Abstract In sandy desert environments, plants experience substantial variation in growing conditions throughout the dune fixation process. Despite its ecological importance, the link between xerophytic plant trait adaptation and dune stabilization remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we evaluated 13 leaf functional traits related to physiological, structural, and biochemical properties in selected xerophytic species across four dune stabilization stages in northwest China, namely semi-fixed dunes (D1; vegetation cover, 23%), fixed dunes (D2; 32%), biocrusted-fixed dunes (D3; 46%), and herbaceous-plant-fixed dunes (D4; 60%). We applied leaf trait network (LTN) analysis to explore complex trait interrelationships and assess changes in network parameters during stabilization. Results revealed that both leaf traits and LTNs varied with stabilization stage. At the fixed dune stage (D2), xerophytes shifted from a resource-acquisitive strategy emphasizing rapid carbon and nutrient uptake to a more conservative strategy characterized by slower returns on investment. Leaf trait network connectivity increased with stabilization, as indicated by decreasing average path length and increasing edge density. Connectivity was positively correlated with soil bulk density (BD) and negatively correlated with soil volumetric water content, suggesting that increasing BD and water stress drove plants to adopt broader trait combinations, enhancing stress tolerance and physiological plasticity during dune stabilization.