Abstract: To clarify the difference of shoot quality from different altitudes and provide theoretical guidance to the management of Pleioblastus amarusforest for producing highquality shoots, we analyzed the appearance, nutrition, and taste of bamboo shoots from three altitudes (190±20 m, 380±20 m, 600±20 m). The results showed that with increasing altitude, individual weight, diameter, length, and edible rate of shoots generally decreased. Those parameters of bamboo shoots from low and middle altitudes were better than that from high altitude. In addition, the contents of protein, cellulose, and lignin in bamboo shoots first decreased and then increased, while fat and starch contents changed in an opposite trend. Protein content in shoots from low altitude was obviously higher than that from middle and high altitudes. The cellulose and lignin content in shoots from low and middle altitudes was lower than that from high altitude, while starch content changed in an opposite trend. The fat content significantly differed among the three altitudes. Moreover, with increasing altitude, soluble sugar content and sugar to acid ratio increased at first and then decreased, while the contents of tannin, oxalic acid, total acids decreased at first and then increased. Soluble sugar content and sugar to acid ratio of shoots from low and middle altitudes were significantly higher than that from high altitude, while oxalic acid and total acid contents of the two formers was obviously lower than that of the latter. There was no significant difference in tannin content among the three altitudes. Moreover, the contents of total amino acids and components and their proportions fell at first and then rose. The contents of total amino acids and components of shoots from middle altitude were lower than those from low and high altitudes, while the proportion of aromatic amino acid was higher. Our results indicate that altitude greatly influences shoot appearance, nutrition and taste, and that the shoots from low and middle altitudes have more favorable quality.

Key words: Procambarus clarkii, ecological niche model, climate change, biological invasion, potential suitable area