The study looked at how salt stress affects the growth of Pistacia chinensis seedlings. They found that as the salt concentration increased, the leaves had less chlorophyll and lower photosynthetic rates. The decrease in photosynthesis was due to both stomatal and non-stomatal factors. The salt stress damaged the leaf's photosynthetic system, affecting its ability to produce energy. When the salt concentration reached a certain level, the seedlings' maximum efficiency in photosynthesis decreased significantly.