Leaf attributes in the seasonally dry tropics: A comparison of four habitats in northern Australia

Prior, LD; Eamus, D; Bowman, DMJS

Leaf attributes in the seasonally dry tropics: A comparison of four habitats in northern Australia

Prior, LD Eamus, D

Bowman, DMJS

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Functional Ecology, 2003, 17 (4), pp. 504 - 515
Issue Date:: 2003-08-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Prior, LD	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Eamus, D https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2765-8040	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Bowman, DMJS	en_US
dc.date.issued	2003-08-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Functional Ecology, 2003, 17 (4), pp. 504 - 515	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0269-8463	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3734
dc.description.abstract	1. Patterns of leaf attributes were compared at regional and global scales in relation to the seasonal availability of water. 2. Light-saturated assimilation rate (Amass), leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf density, thickness, life span, saturated water content, chlorophyll, nitrogen and phosphorus content were determined during the wet season for 21 tree species in four contrasting habitats in northern Australia. Rainfall in this area is extremely seasonal. 3. Amass and foliar chlorophyll, N and P contents were positively correlated with each other, and were all negatively correlated with LMA, leaf thickness, density and life span. 4. Deciduous species had smaller LMA and leaf life span, and larger foliar N and P contents than did evergreen species. 5. The eight Myrtaceous species had smaller A mass, foliar chlorophyll, N and P contents, and larger LMA, leaf thickness and leaf life span than did the non-Myrtaceous species. 6. Leaves from the closed canopy dry monsoon forest had significantly larger A mass, chlorophyll and P contents than did leaves from the three open canopy habitats (eucalypt open forest, mixed woodland and Melaleuca swamp). This reflected the relatively low proportions of evergreen and Myrtaceous species in the dry monsoon forest. There were also significant intraspecific differences among habitats. 7. Leaf thickness, density and LMA were lower than predicted from globally derived relationships with temperature and precipitation. Tropical seasonally dry biomes are under-represented in such global analyses.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Functional Ecology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1046/j.1365-2435.2003.00761.x	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Ecology	en_US
dc.title	Leaf attributes in the seasonally dry tropics: A comparison of four habitats in northern Australia	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	17	en_US
utslib.for	0602 Ecology	en_US
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	17	en_US

Abstract:

1. Patterns of leaf attributes were compared at regional and global scales in relation to the seasonal availability of water. 2. Light-saturated assimilation rate (Amass), leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf density, thickness, life span, saturated water content, chlorophyll, nitrogen and phosphorus content were determined during the wet season for 21 tree species in four contrasting habitats in northern Australia. Rainfall in this area is extremely seasonal. 3. Amass and foliar chlorophyll, N and P contents were positively correlated with each other, and were all negatively correlated with LMA, leaf thickness, density and life span. 4. Deciduous species had smaller LMA and leaf life span, and larger foliar N and P contents than did evergreen species. 5. The eight Myrtaceous species had smaller A mass, foliar chlorophyll, N and P contents, and larger LMA, leaf thickness and leaf life span than did the non-Myrtaceous species. 6. Leaves from the closed canopy dry monsoon forest had significantly larger A mass, chlorophyll and P contents than did leaves from the three open canopy habitats (eucalypt open forest, mixed woodland and Melaleuca swamp). This reflected the relatively low proportions of evergreen and Myrtaceous species in the dry monsoon forest. There were also significant intraspecific differences among habitats. 7. Leaf thickness, density and LMA were lower than predicted from globally derived relationships with temperature and precipitation. Tropical seasonally dry biomes are under-represented in such global analyses.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3734