Stomatal Frequency Change Over Altitudinal Gradients: Prospects for Paleoaltimetry

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Research Article| October 01, 2007 Stomatal Frequency Change Over Altitudinal Gradients: Prospects for Paleoaltimetry Lenny L.R. Kouwenberg; Lenny L.R. Kouwenberg Department of Geology, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois 60605, U.S.A., lkouwenberg@fieldmuseum.org Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Wolfram M. Kürschner; Wolfram M. Kürschner Laboratory of Palaeobotany & Palynology, Utrecht University, 3584 CD Utrecht, The Netherlands, w.m.kurschner@bio.uu.nl Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jennifer C. McElwain Jennifer C. McElwain UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland, Jennifer.McElwain@ucd.ie Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Lenny L.R. Kouwenberg Department of Geology, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois 60605, U.S.A., lkouwenberg@fieldmuseum.org Wolfram M. Kürschner Laboratory of Palaeobotany & Palynology, Utrecht University, 3584 CD Utrecht, The Netherlands, w.m.kurschner@bio.uu.nl Jennifer C. McElwain UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland, Jennifer.McElwain@ucd.ie Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America First Online: 09 Mar 2017 © The Mineralogical Society Of America Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (2007) 66 (1): 215–241. https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2007.66.9 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Lenny L.R. Kouwenberg, Wolfram M. Kürschner, Jennifer C. McElwain; Stomatal Frequency Change Over Altitudinal Gradients: Prospects for Paleoaltimetry. Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 2007;; 66 (1): 215–241. doi: https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2007.66.9 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyReviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry Search Advanced Search Abstract Recently, a novel paleoaltimetry method was presented using leaf stomatal frequency response to the decline in CO2 partial pressure with altitude, and tested on California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) (McElwain 2004). Here, we present new data detailing the influence of other climatic variables on leaf stomatal frequency change with altitude in the context of more fully characterizing how stomatal frequencies can be used to infer paleoelevations. A clear increase in stomatal density and stomatal index is observed with increasing elevation for Q. kelloggii (black oak) leaves, and Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides (mountain beech) growing over an altitudinal transect on the slope of Mt. Ruapehu (New Zealand). Modern leaves growing in full direct sunlight versus shaded diffuse light for both species show substantial differences in stomatal density and index, however, growth chamber experiments that vary light intensity have revealed that the magnitude of natural increase in radiation with altitude is likely insufficient to explain the overall increase in stomatal frequency (density and index) with elevation. Furthermore, temperature does not have a significant influence on black oak stomatal frequency in growth chamber experiments. Rather changes in stomatal density and index with altitude appear to reflect an adaptation to counteract the limited photosynthetic potential due to the CO2 partial pressure decrease, further limited by shorter growing seasons and/or increased UV radiation. Our review of the uncertainties associated with the stomatal frequency paleoaltimeter from the literature, together with results from the new plant growth experiments indicate that if sea-level paleoatmospheric CO2 concentration can be well-constrained, the stomatal frequency method has the potential for very low error margins. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.