Leaf gas exchange characteristics were measured in twenty woody species that differ in succession status ranging from pioneer species (PS) to late succession species (LS) in a Brazilian rain-reforestation ecosystem. Photon-saturated photosynthetic rate, calculated per either a leaf area (P NA ) or a dry mass (P NM ) basis, differed among species. P NA and P NM were highest in PS and lowest in LS. Variation among species was 3-fold (from 7 to 23 µmol m -2 s -1 ) for P NA, and 5-fold (from 50 to 275 µmol kg -2 s -1 ) for P NM . The highest P NA (23 µmol m -2 s -1 ) and P NM (275 µmol kg -2 s -1 ) values were recorded in PS Croton urucurana, while the lowest P NA (7 µmol m -2 s -1 ) and P NM (50 µmol kg -2 s -1 ) values were recorded in LS Aspidosperma cylindrocarpon. A considerable overlap was recorded between PS and LS in values of stomatal conductance (g s ), transpiration rate (E), and leaf mass to area ratio (ALM). However, C. urucurana also showed highest g s and E. P NM was highly correlated with ALM in both PS and LS (r = -0.75 and -0.90, respectively). The high values of instantaneous transpiration efficiency (ITE) and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE i ) were also observed in the PS when compared with the LS.
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