Physiological and ecological response of Cinnamomum camphora under drought stress

Abstract The study focused on one-year-old Cinnamomum camphora seedlings and set up three stress environments: drought, waterlogging, and drought rehydration. The physiological and ecological responses of Cinnamomum camphora under different stress conditions were comprehensively analyzed using methods such as biomass measurement, gas exchange parameters (including net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate), stable carbon isotope ratios, and analysis of non structural carbohydrate content. The results showed that drought stress significantly reduced the total biomass of Cinnamomum camphora (23.57 ± 0.56 g, compared to the control group of 40.84 ± 0.61 g), especially the leaf biomass (4.30 ± 0.45 g), which was 59.28% lower than the control group. The root biomass of the waterlogging stress group was 8.86 ± 1.15 g, which was 38.51% lower than the control group. Stable carbon isotope analysis showed that under drought stress, the δ 13 C value of Cinnamomum camphora significantly increased (-26.7‰), indicating that plants improve water use efficiency by closing stomata; The waterlogging stress reduced the δ 13 C value (-29.1‰), indicating limited photosynthetic efficiency. The rehydration experiment showed that the leaf water potential quickly recovered after rehydration, and the photosynthetic parameters (such as photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance) gradually increased, demonstrating good drought tolerance. Compared with previous studies on single stress or a single organ, this study analyzed the effects of drought, waterlogging, and rehydration stress on the biomass of different organs in Cinnamomum camphora, revealing the resource allocation strategies and physiological adaptation mechanisms of Cinnamomum camphora under different stresses. This study provides a scientific basis for the adaptive management of Cinnamomum camphora in ecological restoration and urban greening.