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Lack of coordination between stomatal and vein traits provides functional benefits to the dioecious tropical tree Myrsine coriacea

Lack of coordination between stomatal and vein traits provides functional benefits to the... Climate change will affect the distribution of many tropical plant species. However, the understanding of how dioecious tropical species cope with different environmental conditions is still limited. To address this issue, we investigated how secondary trait attributes in populations of the dioecious tropical tree Myrsine coriacea change along an altitudinal gradient. Eighty individual plants (40 male and 40 female) were selected among seven natural populations. Leaf variation in morphological and stomatal traits, and carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions were analyzed. Female plants had greater isotopic leaf carbon composition (δ13C) and nitrogen content than male plants, increasing their carboxylation capacity. Plants of both sexes had smaller stomata, greater water‐use efficiency (greater δ13C), and greater nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) at higher altitudes. They also showed lower δ15N and had greater carbon: nitrogen ratios at lower altitudes. There was a lack of coordination between stomatal and vein traits, which was compensated for by variation in specific leaf areas. This mechanism was essential for increasing plant performance under the limiting conditions found by the species at higher altitudes. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Physiologia Plantarum Wiley

Lack of coordination between stomatal and vein traits provides functional benefits to the dioecious tropical tree Myrsine coriacea

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References (100)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© 2022 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society
ISSN
0031-9317
eISSN
1399-3054
DOI
10.1111/ppl.13719
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Climate change will affect the distribution of many tropical plant species. However, the understanding of how dioecious tropical species cope with different environmental conditions is still limited. To address this issue, we investigated how secondary trait attributes in populations of the dioecious tropical tree Myrsine coriacea change along an altitudinal gradient. Eighty individual plants (40 male and 40 female) were selected among seven natural populations. Leaf variation in morphological and stomatal traits, and carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions were analyzed. Female plants had greater isotopic leaf carbon composition (δ13C) and nitrogen content than male plants, increasing their carboxylation capacity. Plants of both sexes had smaller stomata, greater water‐use efficiency (greater δ13C), and greater nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) at higher altitudes. They also showed lower δ15N and had greater carbon: nitrogen ratios at lower altitudes. There was a lack of coordination between stomatal and vein traits, which was compensated for by variation in specific leaf areas. This mechanism was essential for increasing plant performance under the limiting conditions found by the species at higher altitudes.

Journal

Physiologia PlantarumWiley

Published: May 1, 2022

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