Leaf habit and plant architecture integrate whole-plant economics and contextualize trait-climate associations within ecologically diverse genus Rhododendron.

ABSTRACT: Plant resource strategies negotiate a trade-off between fast growth and stress resistance, characterized by specific leaf area (SLA). How SLA relates to leaf structure and function or plant climate associations remains open for debate, and leaf habit and plant architecture may alter the costs versus benefits of individual traits. We used phylogenetic canonical correspondence analysis and phylogenetic least squares to understand the relationship of anatomy and gas exchange to published data on root, wood, architectural and leaf economics traits and climate. Leaf anatomy was structured by leaf habit and carbon to nitrogen ratio was a better predictor of gas exchange than SLA. We found significant correspondence of leaf anatomy with branch architecture and wood traits, gas exchange correspond

SUBMITTER: Medeiros JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10888519 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature