The Variation and Influencing Factors of Volatile Organic Compounds on Branch and Leaf of Phoebe hui W.C. Cheng ex Yen C. Yang

Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are crucial for communication, defense, pollination, and environmental adaptation, playing a key role in the survival and interaction of plants within ecosystems. However, as an important tree species rich in VOCs, the variation characteristics and influencing factors of VOCs on Phoebe hui W.C. Cheng ex Yen C. Yang remain unclear. In this study, we identified 106 VOCs across branches and leaves, of which 91 and 56 were detected, respectively, with 41 in both tissues. Sesquiterpenoids, olefins, fatty acids and conjugates dominated the VOC profiles of branches and leaves. Branches showed higher accumulation of sesquiterpenoids, fatty acids and conjugates, whereas leaves were enriched in olefins. The VOCs distribution and accumulation were strongly structured by environmental variation, with mean annual precipitation (MAP) and soil organic carbon (SOC) emerging as the primary drivers. Together, these findings elucidate the variation patterns and environmental determinants of VOCs in P. hui, providing a foundation for resource conservation and utilization while informing studies of VOC diversity across Phoebe species.