Covariance of Sun and Shade Leaf Traits Along a Tropical Forest Elevation Gradient.

ABSTRACT: Foliar trait adaptation to sun and shade has been extensively studied in the context of photosynthetic performance of plants, focusing on nitrogen allocation, light capture and use via chlorophyll pigments and leaf morphology; however, less is known about the potential sun-shade dichotomy of other functionally important foliar traits. In this study, we measured 19 traits in paired sun and shade leaves along a 3,500-m elevation gradient in southern Peru to test whether the traits differ with canopy position, and to assess if relative differences vary with species composition and/or environmental filters. We found significant sun-shade differences in leaf mass per area (LMA), photosynthetic pigments (Chl ab and Car), and δ13C. Sun-shade offsets among these traits remained constant with eleva

SUBMITTER: Martin RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7006543 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature