Influence of leaf morphometric variations on the growth of seedlings and juveniles of woody species in a semiarid environment

Abstract

Variations in leaf morphometry and in diameter and height growth of plants may occur due to changes in light and temperature conditions of the forest in order to compensate the stress in the habitat. In this study, we examine the relationship of seedling and juvenile size and leaf area of woody species in forests of different ages ([55 and 19 years) in northeastern Brazil. A total of 600 individuals of four species, seedlings and juveniles that survived a rainy season were evaluated. Seedlings and juveniles of Croton blanchetianus Baill, Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) L. P. Queiroz, Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão and Commiphora leptophloeos (Mart.) J.B. Gillett were measured for height and stem diameter in the beginning of the rainy season of 2014. One leaf of each individual was collected in the beginning of the rainy season. Leaves were photographed, and leaf area was measured. Differences in height, diameter and leaf area between forests and the existence of a relationship of diameter and height to leaf area were examined. Leaf area and seedling and juvenile size of C. blanchetianus and C. leptophloeos decreased as succession progressed. However, this was not observed for seedlings of P. pyramidalis and juveniles of M. urundeuva. Leaf area explained 7-26% of the variation in size of individuals in the young forest and 11-39% of the variation in size of individuals in the mature forest. Despite variations in leaf area, significant changes in growth rate were not found with the increase in forest age for most ontogenetic stages and species.

Estrutura morfológica foliar da arborização urbana na manutenção do conforto térmico

“…As folhas apresentam grande plasticidade quanto à sua forma e capacidade de uso da água na assimilação/alocação de fotoassimilados (Araujo et al, 2017). O conhecimento das variações relativas a estes aspectos permite avaliar o perfil funcional das espécies, especialmente daquelas estabelecidas sob determinadas condições ambientais, informando sobre a contribuição na amenização de desconfortos causados pela urbanização.…”

Spatio-temporal variation in leaf morphofunctional attributes and relation to growth and survival of young woody plants

“…Changes are also observed in ecological processes such as phenology, seed rain, seed bank, and population dynamics (Alvarez-Añorve et al 2012;Lopes et al 2012;Silva et al 2013). As consequence of such changes, higher light incidence and temperature, and lower water availability in the soil superficial layers may occur within a young forest when compared to a mature forest (Araujo et al 2017).…”

“…(1) leaf area, (2) water content inside your organs, (3) budding of new branches and leaves, (4) leaves lifetime, and (5) leaf concentration of minerals, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (Falcão et al 2015;Souza et al 2015;Araujo et al 2017). It occurs to maximize plant metabolic functions and to promote its survival, growth, and reproduction in young anthropic forests, with a higher light incidence (Fajardo et al 2013;Lopez-Iglesias et al 2014;Nock et al 2016).…”

“…However, an opposite behavior was recently described. Seedlings and juveniles of woody species from understory of young anthropogenic forests are able to increase their leaf area and individual size, because of the more open canopy, in comparison with individuals established in mature forests, which are more conserved and have a more closed canopy (Araujo et al 2017). Such behavior also recorded for adult individuals, (Falcão et al 2015), may represent an essential strategy to recruit individuals to more advanced ontogenetic stages during the short rainy season, improving the survival during the dry season (Araújo et al 2010;Falcão et al 2015).…”

“…Such behavior also recorded for adult individuals, (Falcão et al 2015), may represent an essential strategy to recruit individuals to more advanced ontogenetic stages during the short rainy season, improving the survival during the dry season (Araújo et al 2010;Falcão et al 2015). Therefore, the morphometric responses of the woody species to the microclimatic variations in the understorey from semiarid seasonally dry forests may follow two trends: increasing on leaf area and individual size, or decreasing on leaf area and individual size, as the succession from young-to-mature occurs in the forest (Araujo et al 2017). It is noteworthy that these data come from a low number of species, few functional characteristics and do not take into account the effect of temporal variation of precipitation.…”