Leaf turgor loss point shapes local and regional distributions of evergreen but not deciduous tropical trees.

ABSTRACT: The effects of climate change on tropical forests will depend on how diverse tropical tree species respond to drought. Current distributions of evergreen and deciduous tree species across local and regional moisture gradients reflect their ability to tolerate drought stress, and might be explained by functional traits. We measured leaf water potential at turgor loss (i.e. 'wilting point'; π_tlp ), wood density (WD) and leaf mass per area (LMA) on 50 of the most abundant tree species in central Panama. We then tested their ability to explain distributions of evergreen and deciduous species within a 50 ha plot on Barro Colorado Island and across a 70 km rainfall gradient spanning the Isthmus of Panama. Among evergreen trees, species with lower π_tlp were associated with d

SUBMITTER: Kunert N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8048579 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature