Monthly variations of phytoliths in the leaves of the bamboo Dendrocalamus ronganensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae)

Phytolith assemblages in plant leaf tissues can vary in response to seasonal climatic conditions and to their biosynthetic formation mechanisms. They therefore have potential ecological and environmental significance. Bamboo, a widely distributed plant, is an important ecological indicator because it produces some characteristic phytoliths. Assemblages of phytoliths in fresh leaves of the bamboo Dendrocalamus ronganensis were studied over a 21-month period to explore for links between them and plant growth and investigate their responses to seasonal climate changes. The results show that phytolith assemblages vary throughout the growing season, that the variations in phytolith assemblages are related to the age and/or maturity of plant leaves, and that leaf phytolith assemblages are influenced by physiology of cells and/or seasonal climatic changes. This work is helpful to understand the mechanisms of phytolith formation and to provide a theoretical basis for using phytoliths as a tool in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.