scholarly journals Foliar and Wood Traits Covary along a Vertical Gradient within the Crown of Long-Lived Light-Demanding Species of the Congo Basin Semi-Deciduous Forest

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Chadrack Kafuti ◽  
Nils Bourland ◽  
Tom De Mil ◽  
Sofie Meeus ◽  
Mélissa Rousseau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Stomatal Density ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Congo Basin ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Wood Traits

Plant functional traits have shown to be relevant predictors of forest functional responses to climate change. However, the trait-based approach to study plant performances and ecological strategies has mostly been focused on trait comparisons at the interspecific and intraspecific levels. In this study, we analyzed traits variation and association at the individual level. We measured wood and leaf traits at different height locations within the crown of five individuals of Pericopsis elata (Harms) Meeuwen (Fabaceae) from the northern tropical forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All traits varied between and within individuals. The between-individual variation was more important for leaf traits (23%–48%) than for wood traits (~10%) where the within-individual variation showed to be more important (33%–39%). The sample location height within the crown was found to be the driving factor of this within-individual variation. In a gradient from the base to the top of the crown, theoretical specific hydraulic conductivity and specific leaf area decreased while the stomatal density increased. We found significant relationships among traits and between wood and leaf traits. However, these relationships varied with the position within the crown. The relationship between vessel size and vessel density was negative at the bottom part of the crown but positive upward. Also, the negative relationship between stomatal density and stomatal size became stronger with increasing height within the crown. Finally, the positive relationship between specific leaf area and theoretical specific hydraulic conductivity became stronger in higher parts of the crown, suggesting that P. elata constantly adapts its water use with respect to its water supply, more strongly at the top of the crown where the environment is more extreme and less buffered against environmental fluctuations.

scholarly journals Effects of microhabitat on leaf traits in Digitalis grandiflora L. (Veronicaceae) growing at forest edge and interior

2014 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 615-627
Author(s):  
J. Kołodziejek
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Stomatal Density ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Leaf Mass Per Area ◽  
Forest Interior ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Shade Leaves

The morphological, anatomical and biochemical traits of the leaves of yellow foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora Mill.) from two microhabitats, forest interior (full shade under oak canopy) and forest edge (half shade near shrubs), were studied. The microhabitats differed in the mean levels of available light, but did not differ in soil moisture. The mean level of light in the forest edge microhabitat was significantly higher than in the forest interior. Multivariate ANOVA was used to test the effects of microhabitat. Comparison of the available light with soil moisture revealed that both factors significantly influenced the morphological and anatomical variables of D. grandiflora. Leaf area, mass, leaf mass per area (LMA), surface area per unit dry mass (SLA), density and thickness varied greatly between leaves exposed to different light regimes. Leaves that developed in the shade were larger and thinner and had a greater SLA than those that developed in the half shade. In contrast, at higher light irradiances, at the forest edge, leaves tended to be thicker, with higher LMA and density. Stomatal density was higher in the half-shade leaves than in the full-shade ones. LMA was correlated with leaf area and mass and to a lesser extent with thickness and density in the forest edge microsite. The considerable variations in leaf density and thickness recorded here confirm the very high variation in cell size and amounts of structural tissue within species. The leaf plasticity index (PI) was the highest for the morphological leaf traits as compared to the anatomical and biochemical ones. The nitrogen content was higher in the ?half-shade leaves? than in the ?shade leaves?. Denser leaves corresponded to lower nitrogen (N) contents. The leaves of plants from the forest edge had more potassium (K) than leaves of plants from the forest interior on an area basis but not on a dry mass basis; the reverse was true for phosphorus.

Seed-source variation in water relations, gas exchange, and needle morphology of mature ponderosa pine trees

1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 749-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bert M. Cregg
Keyword(s):  
Gas Exchange ◽  
South Dakota ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Water Relations ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Stomatal Density ◽  
The Other ◽  
Seed Sources ◽  
Needle Morphology

Xylem pressure potential (ψx), net photosynthesis (A), needle conductance (gn), and transpiration (E) were measured periodically throughout the 1991 growing season on 16 ponderosa pine (Pinusponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) trees growing in a 23-year-old provenance planting in eastern Nebraska. The trees studied were from four diverse sources: western Montana, northwest South Dakota, southern New Mexico, and central Arizona. In addition to water relations and gas exchange, specific leaf area, stomatal density, and surface to volume ratios were determined on 1-year-old foliage of each tree. Compared with the other seed sources, gas exchange of the South Dakota source was lowest early in the summer, when ψx was generally high, and highest in the late summer, when ψx declined. However, the relation of gn to ψx did not appear to differ among the seed sources. The South Dakota source had lower stomatal density and needle length than the other sources tested. No differences in specific leaf area or surface to volume ratio were observed. Overall, variation in physiology and needle morphology among seed sources of mature ponderosa pine appears to be more subtle than intraspecific variation of seedlings of other species reported in the literature.

scholarly journals Feasibility in Estimating the Dry Leaf Mass and Specific Leaf Area of 50 Bamboo Species Based on Nondestructive Measurements

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1554
Author(s):  
Yongjin Du ◽  
Weiliang Fan ◽  
Jun Wu ◽  
Mengxiang Zheng ◽  
Leixin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Net Primary Productivity ◽  
Structural Parameters ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Leaf Length ◽  
Bamboo Species ◽  
Aboveground Net Primary Productivity ◽  
Empirical Relationships ◽  
Nondestructive Measurements

Specific leaf area (SLA) is a good predictor of aboveground net primary productivity. However, the SLA of bamboo species is generally estimated on the basis of destructive measurements rather than the cost-effective and recyclable nondestructive measurements using easily accessible leaf traits such as leaf length (L) and width (W). Considering the strong empirical relationships between leaf area (LA) and leaf structural parameters of bamboo species that were developed by previous studies, this study explores the feasibility of estimating the leaf dry mass (LDM) and SLA of 50 bamboo species using L and W. The results show that the Montgomery equation and its similar forms precisely estimated LA of the 50 bamboo species at both leaf scale (R2 > 0.96 and MAE% < 4.67%) and the canopy scale (R2 > 0.99 and RMSE < 0.09); the LDM of the 50 bamboo species could also be estimated using L and W at both leaf scale (R2 > 0.52 and MAE% < 26.35%) and the canopy scale (R2 > 0.99 and RMSE < 0.003), and the estimated mean SLA of each of the 50 bamboo species had good agreement with the measured values (R2 > 0.99 and RMSE < 1.88) because of the precisely estimated mean LA and mean LDM at the canopy scale, indicating the feasibility of estimating SLA of the 50 bamboo species at the canopy scale based on nondestructive measurements. However, the empirical relationships used for mean SLA estimations are not suitable for SLA estimations at the leaf scale because of the uncertainties in the estimated LDM at the leaf scale.

scholarly journals Nutritional status and specific leaf area of mahogany and tonka bean under two light environments

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Francisco de C. Gonçalves ◽  
Gil Vieira ◽  
Ricardo A. Marenco ◽  
João Baptista S. Ferraz ◽  
Ulysses Moreira dos Santos Junior ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Leaf Growth ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Swietenia Macrophylla ◽  
Nutrient Contents ◽  
Full Sunlight ◽  
Successional Species ◽  
Sun Leaves

Studies on nutritional status and leaf traits were carried out in two tropical tree species Swietenia macrophylla King (mahogany) and Dipetryx odorata Aubl. Willd. (tonka bean) planted under contrasting light environments in Presidente Figueiredo-AM, Brazil. Leaves of S. macrophylla and D. odorata were collected in three year-old trees grown under full sunlight (about 2000 µmol m-2 s-1) and natural shade under a closed canopy of Balsa-wood plantation (Ochroma pyramidale Cav. Ex. Lam.Urb) about 260 µmol m-2 s-1. The parameters analysed were leaf area (LA), leaf dry mass (LDM), specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf nutrient contents. It was observed that, S. macrophylla leaves grown under full sunlight showed LA 35% lower than those grown under shade. In D. odorata leaves these differences in LA were not observed. In addition, it was observed that S. macrophylla shade leaves, for LDM, were 50% smaller than sun leaves, while in D. odorata, there differences were not observed. SLA in S. macrophylla presented that sun leaves were three times smaller than those grown under shade. In D. odorata, no differences were observed. Nutrient contents in S. macrophylla, regardless of their light environments, showed higher contents for P and Ca than those found in D. odorata. The N, K, Fe and Mn contents in S. macrophylla leaves decreased under shade. Finally, we suggest that the decreasing in leaf nutrient contents may have a negative influence on leaf growth. The results demonstrated that the tested hypothesis is true for leaf traits, which D. odorata, late-successional species, showed lower plasticity for leaf traits than Swietenia macrophylla, mid-successional species.

scholarly journals Effect of Gap Sizes on Specific Leaf Area and Chlorophyll Contents at the Castanopsis kawakamii Natural Reserve Forest, China

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Supaporn Buajan ◽  
Jinfu Liu ◽  
Zhongsheng He ◽  
Xueping Feng
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Summer Season ◽  
Gap Size ◽  
Chl A ◽  
Chlorophyll Contents ◽  
Selected Traits

The two hemispherical photographs (THP) method was used to calculate gap area. The areas of nine forest gaps were measured. Meanwhile, non-gap areas were selected as control groups with areas of 225 m2. Plots with areas of 25 m2 in five different directions within gap and non-gap areas were conducted for collecting leaf samples. To determine the effect of gap size on leaf traits the selected traits were leaf area (LA), leaf dry mass (LDM), specific leaf area (SLA), Chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll (TChl), and carotenoid (CAR). Leaves were collected from the regeneration layer (<2 cm DBH, height 2–5 m) to measure the leaf traits in winter and summer seasons. Results confirmed significant positive correlations between LA and LDM in the small, medium, large gap sizes, and non-gap areas (r2 = 0.913, 0.827, 0.897, and 0.939, p < 0.01, respectively). On the contrary, relationships between LDM and SLA in the small, medium, large gap sizes, and non-gap areas have significant negative correlations (r2 = −0.269, −0.259, −0.417, and −0.505, p < 0.05, respectively). The effect of gap size on the average Chl a, Chl b, TChl, and CAR varies by the season. During the summer season, the highest chlorophyll contents were recorded in the small gap size and the lowest in the non-gap area, while during the winter season, the highest values of these chlorophyll contents appeared in the medium gap size. Moreover, the directions within the gap in the medium gap size of the summer season had an effect on the Chl a and TChl.

scholarly journals Relationships between mycorrhizal type and leaf flammability in the Australian flora

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Powell ◽  
Rohan Riley ◽  
Will Cornwell
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Leaf Chemistry ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Australian Flora ◽  
Trees And Shrubs

Mycorrhizal fungi have been linked to fire processes in natural ecosystems via their effects on litter decomposability but, to our knowledge, relationships between mycorrhizal fungi and leaf traits directly associated with aspects of flammability have not been studied. Here, we assessed the relationships among leaf traits and host mycorrhizal type for 77 species of Australian trees and shrubs to determine whether mycorrhizal type can explain variation in three aspects of leaf flammability (ignitability, fire duration, and smoulder duration). Several associations were observed between mycorrhizal type and leaf traits directly linked to flammability measures, including specific leaf area, leaf mass, leaf moisture content, and leaf chemistry. The observed patterns suggest that interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and their host plants during the growth and senescence of leaves may have subsequent effects on fire processes. However, further work is necessary to evaluate the importance of these effects in real ecosystems, including whether plants or fungi are responsible for these patterns, and we propose four questions that will further progress in this area.

scholarly journals Specific leaf area explains differences in leaf traits between congeneric savanna and forest trees

2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 932-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. HOFFMANN ◽  
A. C. FRANCO ◽  
M. Z. MOREIRA ◽  
M. HARIDASAN
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Forest Trees

scholarly journals Relationships among the leaf traits in temperate forest tree species in Uttarakhand, India

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Rawat ◽  
Kusum Arunachalam ◽  
Ayyandar Arunachalam
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Leaf Dry Matter Content ◽  
Temperate Forest Ecosystem

Abstract Background: The primary function of the leaf is the production of the food and interchange the gases between the atmosphere and the plant surface. Establishing the relationship among the leaf traits is essential to understand the ecosystem functioning in the forest ecosystem. Here, the present study proposes a framework for species-level relationships between the traits in the temperate forest ecosystem. Methodology: Three morphological (leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content), three chemical (leaf carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous content) and six physiological (chlorophyll, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intrinsic water use efficiency, transpiration rate, intercellular CO2 concentration) leaf traits were analysed in 10 woody tree species of temperate forest using linear mixed modelling. Results: Results showed that the leaf carbon was the only trait influencing the most to leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content and leads to maximum variation in the functioning of the forest ecosystem. Conclusion: The results suggested that consideration of plant traits, and especially the leaf traits, increases the ability to describe variation in the functioning of the forest ecosystem. This study indicated that leaf carbon act as the significant predictor of leaf trait variation among the different species in the temperate forest ecosystem of the Indian Himalayan region.

scholarly journals Prospect inversion for indirect estimation of leaf dry matter content and specific leaf area

2015 ◽  
Vol XL-7/W3 ◽  
pp. 277-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ali ◽  
R. Darvishzadeh ◽  
A.-K. Skidmore ◽  
I.-V. Duren ◽  
U. Heiden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Radiative Transfer Model ◽  
Integrating Sphere ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Electromagnetic Spectrum ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Input Parameters ◽  
Direct Input

Quantification of vegetation properties plays an indispensable role in assessments of ecosystem function with leaf dry mater content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA) being two important vegetation properties. Methods for fast, reliable and accurate measurement of LDMC and SLA are still lacking. In this study, the inversion of the PROSPECT radiative transfer model was used to estimate these two leaf parameters. Inversion of PROSPECT traditionally aims at quantifying its direct input parameters rather than identifying the parameters which can be derived indirectly from the input parameters. The technique has been tested here to indirectly model these parameters for the first time. Biophysical parameters such as leaf area, as well as fresh and dry weights of 137 leaf samples were measured during a field campaign in July 2013 in the mixed mountain forests of the Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany. Reflectance and transmittance of the leaf samples were measured using an ASD field spec III equipped with an integrating sphere. The PROSPECT model was inverted using a look-up table (LUT) approach for the NIR/SWIR region of the spectrum. The retrieved parameters were evaluated using their calculated R<sup>2</sup> and normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) values with the field measurements. Among the retrieved variables the lowest nRMSE (0.0899) was observed for LDMC. For both traits higher R<sup>2</sup> values (0.83 for LDMC and 0.89 for SLA) were discovered. The results indicate that the leaf traits studied can be quantified as accurately as the direct input parameters of PROSPECT. The strong correlation between the estimated traits and the NIR/SWIR region of the electromagnetic spectrum suggests that these leaf traits could be assessed at canopy and in the landscape by using hyperspectral remote sensing data.

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