Abstract:Photosynthetic characteristics,including net photosynthetic rate(Pn),transpiration rate(Tr),stomatal conductance(Gs),intercellular CO2 concentration(Ci),stomatal limited value(Ls)and water use efficiency(WUE),were determined on flag leaves of Elymus sibiricus with different plant ages while grown in the same habitat of alpine regions,under varying light intensity using simulated light source.The resulted showed that there were significant differences in plant heights of E.sibiricus with different plant ages(P<0.05),which followed the order of 3-year-old plants > 4-year-old plants > 5-year-old plants.Leaf length and leaf area of flag leaves from 4-year-old were significantly greater than those of 3-year-old or 5-year-old plants(P<0.05).Under light intensity ranging from 200~2 000 μmol/(m2·s),Pn and Tr values of flag leaves with different plant age followed the order of 3-year-old>4-year-old>5-year-old plants;and they had a positive correlation regardless of plant age(P<0.01).There was a significant and positive correlation between Pn and Gs or Ls,while a negative correlation between Pn and Ci(P<0.01).The E.sibiricus flag leaves from the 3-year-old and 4-year-old plants showed photo-inhibition at the light intensity of 1 200 and 1 000 μmol/(m2·s),respectively,primarily due to stomatal limitations.The flag leaves of 5-year-old E.sibiricus showed photo-inhibition at 800 μmol/(m2·s),primarily due to non-stomata limitations.Pn and Gs of flag leaves were significantly affected by light intensity(P<0.01)and the two-way interaction of light intensity and plant age(P<0.05),while Ci of flag leaves was affected by plant age(P<0.01).