Variations in Leaf Traits Modulate Plant Vegetative and Reproductive Phenological Sequencing Across Arid Mediterranean Shrublands.

ABSTRACT: Structural and nutrient traits of a leaf are important for understanding plant ecological strategies (e.g., drought avoidance). We studied the specific leaf area (SLA), leaf carbon content (LCC), leaf nitrogen content (LNC), leaf phosphorous content (LPC), and the phenophase sequence index (PSI) in 126 Mediterranean perennial species from predesert (SMS) and semiarid (SaMS) to subalpine (SAS), alpine cushion (AcS), and oro-Mediterranean (AjS) shrublands, which represent eight functional groups (evergreen and deciduous trees, evergreen large and half shrubs, deciduous large and half shrubs, succulents and perennial herbs). We analyzed the variation and relationships between leaf traits and PSI among shrublands, functional groups, and within species with drought-avoidance mechanisms. SLA var

SUBMITTER: Navarro T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8420881 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature