Leaf Morphological Traits Research Articles

Interannual adjustments in stomatal and leaf morphological traits of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) demonstrate its climate change acclimation potential.

The current projections of climate change might exceed the ability of European forest trees to adapt to upcoming environmental conditions. However, stomatal and leaf morphological traits could greatly influence the acclimation potential of forest tree species subjected to global warming, including the single most important forestry species in Europe, European beech. We analysed stomatal (guard cell length, stomatal density and potential conductance index) and leaf (leaf area, leaf dry weight and leaf mass per area) morphological traits of ten provenances from two provenance trials with contrasting climates between 2016 and 2020. The impact of meteorological conditions of the current and preceding year on stomatal and leaf traits was tested by linear and quadratic regressions. Ecodistance was used to capture the impact of adaptation after the transfer of provenances to new environments. Interactions of trial-provenance and trial-year factors were significant for all measured traits. Guard cell length was lowest and stomatal density was highest across beech provenances in the driest year, 2018. Adaptation was also reflected in a significant relationship between aridity ecodistance and measured traits. Moreover, the meteorological conditions of the preceding year affected the interannual variability of stomatal and leaf traits more than the meteorological conditions of the spring of the current year, suggesting the existence of plant stress memory. High intraspecific variability of stomatal and leaf traits controlled by the interaction of adaptation, acclimation and plant memory suggests a high acclimation potential of European beech provenances under future conditions of global climate change.

Assessing the utility of selected photosynthetic and related traits in screening Amaranthus dubius Mart. ex Thell. and Galinsoga parviflora Cav. 1796 seedlings for elevated temperature stress tolerance

Wild leafy vegetables are of increasing interest because many have higher concentrations of some beneficial minerals, vitamins and nutrients than commercial crops. Some reports also indicate that they exhibit high levels of tolerance to abiotic stressors associated with climate change. The aim of this study was to investigate whether selected biochemical, physiological (related to photosynthesis) and morphological traits could be used to screen for elevated temperature tolerance in two wild leafy vegetable species, viz. Amaranthus dubius (C4) and Galinsoga parviflora (C3). One-month-old seedlings were transferred from a greenhouse to growth chambers and subjected to either ambient [25°C (day)/14°C (night)] or elevated [30°C (day)/19°C (night)] temperatures for 15 days. On days 0, 5, 10 and 15, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, selected biochemical, physiological and morphological traits were determined. Data for the 24 traits measured were used in plant trait network analyses to establish the populations’ phenotypic plasticity, including changes in the interactions/relationships amongst the traits when exposed to elevated temperatures. Sixteen traits showed significant differences between ambient and elevated temperatures on day 15, 11 in G. parviflora only, one in A. dubius only and four in both species. Those shared by the two species were intracellular hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, while specific leaf area was significantly different in A. dubius only. Both species altered biochemical leaf traits under elevated temperatures, while morphological leaf traits were altered in A. dubius only and photosynthetic leaf traits in G. parviflora only. In G. parviflora, the photosynthetic traits were more sensitive to elevated temperatures than in A. dubius. This suggests that photosynthetic traits may be ineffective for screening C4 species, due to them being highly evolved to survive in warmer climates. However, the results showed that photosynthetic traits could be useful as screening tools for C3 photosynthetic pathway species. The plant trait network analyses showed that both species displayed high phenotypic plasticity with a 5°C increase in temperature. We recommend when screening wild leafy vegetables for high temperature tolerance that photosynthetic traits be considered in the context of their phenotypic plasticity. This approach could fast-track the identification of more climate-resilient wild edible species.

Population Analysis of Diospyros lotus in the Northwestern Caucasus Based on Leaf Morphology and Multilocus DNA Markers.

Diospyros lotus is the one of the most frost-tolerant species in the Diospyros genera, used as a rootstock for colder regions. Natural populations of D. lotus have a fragmented character of distribution in the Northwestern Caucasus, one of the coldest regions of Diospyros cultivation. To predict the behavior of D. lotus populations in an extreme environment, it is necessary to investigate the intraspecific genetic diversity and phenotypic variability of populations in the colder regions. In this study, we analyzed five geographically distant populations of D. lotus according to 33 morphological leaf traits, and the most informative traits were established, namely, leaf length, leaf width, leaf index (leaf to length ratio) and the length of the fourth veins. Additionally, we evaluated the intraspecific genetic diversity of D. lotus using ISSR and SCoT markers and proposed a new parameter for the evaluation of genetic polymorphism among populations, in order to eliminate the effect of sample number. This new parameter is the relative genetic polymorphism, which is the ratio of polymorphism to the number of samples. Based on morphological and genetic data, the northernmost population from Shkhafit was phenotypically and genetically distant from the other populations. The correspondence between several morphological traits (leaf width, leaf length and first to fifth right vein angles) and several marker bands (SCoT5, SCoT7, SCoT30: 800–1500 bp; ISSR13, ISSR14, ISSR880: 500–1000 bp) were observed for the Shkhafit population. Unique SCoT and ISSR fragments can be used as markers for breeding purposes. The results provide a better understanding of adaptive mechanisms in D. lotus in extreme environments and will be important for the further expansion of the cultivation area for persimmon in colder regions.

Leaf functional traits predict shade tolerant tree performance in cloud forest restoration plantings

Abstract Restoration of tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) landscapes is urgently required. Assisting the regeneration of endangered and shade tolerant tree species is essential for both the recovery of this vulnerable group and of ecological processes. However, there is limited species‐specific information regarding tree performance under different disturbance conditions with which to implement effective interventions. We assessed the performance of shade tolerant tree seedlings in restoration plantings under different disturbance settings and determined whether leaf mass area (LMA) and leaf dry mass content (LDMC)—functional traits typically associated with resource capture or stress tolerance—could serve as predictors of survival and growth among species. Since conservative leaf morphological traits can maximize survival, we expected species with higher LMA and LDMC to present higher survival. For a set of eight native cloud forest species, a total of 2,202 seedlings were planted in four pastures, five secondary forests and three forests subjected to traditional selective logging, in TMCF landscapes in Eastern Mexico. Seedling survival was high after 3 years: 62% in pastures, 80% in secondary forests and 88% in logged forests. Growth rates were lowest in pastures, followed by secondary forests and highest in logged forests. LMA was a strong predictor of seedling survival in all of the environments; tree species with higher LMA presented greater survival. LDMC was related to seedling survival in the three environments, although to a lesser extent than LMA. In the pastures, higher LMA and LDMC were linked to lower growth. Synthesis and applications. This study supports the potential of shade tolerant tree species in restoration efforts to assist the recovery of this important functional group and to accelerate succession across altered environments. Our results support the notion that conservative leaf functional traits are linked to a higher probability of survival, not only in the shaded understorey, but also under high solar radiation in transformed habitats. Leaf mass area (LMA) in particular is a reliable predictor of seedling survival for shade tolerant species. Species selection based on LMA could thus improve restoration initiative outcomes: tree species with high LMA present higher survival probability and can be introduced into pastures, secondary forests and selectively logged forests.

Changes in Watering Frequency Stimulate Differentiated Adaptive Responses among Seedlings of Different Beech Populations

Simple SummaryFuture precipitation changes are expected to affect plant populations’ adaptive responses. In southern Europe, annual precipitation is expected to decline and become unpredictable with occasional extreme rainfall events. Although there are many studies investigating water deficit effects in beech populations, they mainly refer to water withholding and rewatering or limited watering for prolonged periods. There is a lack of information considering the effect of simulated changes in monthly precipitation distribution on plants. In our study, we aimed to elucidate whether simulated distribution differences in monthly precipitation, expected to prevail in 2050, affects the response of various adaptive traits in beech seedlings originating from sites with contrasting climatic conditions. We found significant population differences according to watering interactions in most of the stem anatomical traits, but only for leaf circularity regarding the morphological traits. Our results indicate that beech populations in the southernmost region of their European distribution may demonstrate high variability in adaptive responses towards climate change conditions.Seasonality, rather than annual precipitation levels, is expected to affect the adaptive responses of plant populations under future climate change. To estimate adaptive traits’ variation, we conducted a common garden experiment with two beech populations from contrasting climatic origins (Evros with longer drought intervals during summer and higher precipitation seasonality, and Drama representing a more temperate ecosystem). We simulated two different watering treatments (frequent vs. non-frequent) on beech seedlings, according to predicted monthly precipitation levels expected to prevail in 2050 by the CSIRO MK3.6 SRESA1B model, considering as reference area a natural beech stand in Mt. Rodopi, Greece. A series of morphological and stem anatomical traits were measured. Seedling survival was greater for the Evros population compared to that of Drama under non-frequent watering, while no difference in survival was detected under frequent watering. Leaf morphological traits were not generally affected by watering frequency except for leaf circularity, which was found to be lower under non-frequent watering for both populations. Stomata density in leaves was found to be higher in the Evros population and lower in the Drama population under non-frequent watering than frequent. Stem anatomical traits were higher under non-frequent watering for Evros but lower for the Drama population. Multivariate analyses clearly discriminated populations under non-frequent rather than frequent watering, indicating genetic adaptation to the population’s environment of origin.

Multi-trait genetic variation in resource-use strategies and phenotypic plasticity correlates with local climate across the range of a Mediterranean oak (Quercus faginea).

Resource-use strategies are hypothesized to evolve along climatic gradients. However, our understanding of the environmental factors driving divergent evolution of resource-use strategies and the relationship between trait genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity is far from complete. Using the Mediterranean tree Quercus faginea as study system, we tested the hypothesis that a conservative resource-use strategy with increased drought tolerance and reduced phenotypic plasticity has evolved in areas with longer and more severe dry seasons. We conducted a glasshouse experiment in which we measured leaf morphological, physiological, growth and allocation traits in seedlings from 10 range-wide climatically contrasting populations, grown under two different watering treatments. Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed a genetic gradient of resource-use strategies and phenotypic plasticity associated with provenance climate. In particular, populations from harsher (drier and colder) environments had more sclerophyllous leaves, lower growth rates, better physiological performance under dry conditions and reduced multi-trait phenotypic plasticity compared to populations from more mesic and milder environments. Our results suggest that contrasting precipitation and temperature regimes play an important role in the adaptive intraspecific evolution of multivariate phenotypes and their plasticity, resulting in coordinated morphology, physiology, growth and allometry according to alternative resource-use strategies.

Iron Chelate Improves Rooting in Indole-3-Butyric Acid-Treated Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Stem Cuttings

Adventitious root formation in stem cuttings is affected by exogenous and endogenous factors. The study assessed the effect of Fe(III)-EDDHA (ethylenediamine-N,N-bis 2-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid) on the rooting of 4 indol-3-butyric acid (IBA)-treated hardwood cuttings of the aromatic and medicinal species Rosmarinus officinalis. Cuttings treated with 0, 1000, 2000 or 3000 mg L−1 IBA were placed in pots filled with sand:perlite mixture and irrigated daily with nutrient solution pH 5.8, containing 0, 5, 10 or 20 µM Fe(III)-EDDHA. Ten days later, the number of new emerging roots were recorded. After 20 days, leaf photosynthetic pigments and morphological traits, including root number, fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW), shoot FW and DW, mean length of the longest roots, number of new shoots and new growth in old shoots, were measured. Finally, plants were transplanted to pots filled with a sand:soil mixture and survival was measured after 10 days. Results indicate that Fe application promotes root emergence and improves root and shoot biomass, leaf photosynthetic pigment concentrations and survival percentage. This indicates that using low concentrations of Fe(III)-EDDHA (5–20 µM) in the growth medium could be a good management strategy to facilitate the production of vigorous R. officinalis plants from hardwood cuttings.

Warming Responses of Leaf Morphology Are Highly Variable among Tropical Tree Species

Leaf morphological traits vary along climate gradients, but it is currently unclear to what extent this results from acclimation rather than adaptation. Knowing so is important for predicting the functioning of long-lived organisms, such as trees, in a rapidly changing climate. We investigated the leaf morphological warming responses of 18 tropical tree species with early (ES) abd late (LS) successional strategies, planted at three sites along an elevation gradient from 2400 m a.s.l. (15.2 °C mean temperature) to 1300 m a.s.l. (20.6 °C mean temperature) in Rwanda. Leaf size expressed as leaf area (LA) and leaf mass per area (LMA) decreased, while leaf width-to-length ratio (W/L) increased with warming, but only for one third to half of the species. While LA decreased in ES species, but mostly not in LS species, changes in LMA and leaf W/L were common in both successional groups. ES species had lower LMA and higher LA and leaf W/L compared to LS species. Values of LMA and LA of juvenile trees in this study were mostly similar to corresponding data on four mature tree species in another elevation-gradient study in Rwanda, indicating that our results are applicable also to mature forest trees. We conclude that leaf morphological responses to warming differ greatly between both successional groups and individual species, with potential consequences for species competitiveness and community composition in a warmer climate.

A new species of Lesleya (Spermatopsida) from the Carboniferous of Iberia and its palaeoecological and evolutionary significance

ABSTRACT Plant adaptations to environmental and climatic changes in Pangaean intramontane basins are poorly understood. Here, we document a previously unknown primitive gymnosperm species, Lesleya ceriacoi sp. nov., from the Douro Carboniferous Basin (DCB; lower Gzhelian, Upper Pennsylvanian; NW Portugal) of the Variscan Iberian Massif (Iberia). This new species is described from a 303 million-years-old fossil rediscovered at the U.Porto’s Herbarium PO, stored at the Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto (MHNC-UP; Portugal). L. ceriacoi sp. nov. displays an exquisite leaf shape with morphological traits adapted to specific ecological conditions of the DCB. These leaf morphological traits comprise toothed and dissected margins, which represent specialised adaptations to drier (xerophytic) conditions of the DCB during the Gzhelian (ca. 304–299 Ma), at the end of the Late Pennsylvanian. The xeromorphic traits of the new species represent an evolutionary novelty for the Pennsylvanian Euramerican dry-climate adapted floras, and are evidence of evolutionary adaptation to environmental and climatic change in intramontane basins like DCB within central tropical Pangaea. Such an adaptation occurred during an interval of wet to dry climate transition after the end of one late Palaeozoic Gondwana Ice Age (glaciation) in Gzhelian time.

Phenotypic Plasticity of Cunninghamialanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. Seedlings in Response to Varied Light Quality Treatments

Effects of light quality on phenotypic plasticity in Cunninghamialanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. seedlings during growth and development, and the underlying mechanisms, were investigated. The seedlings showed distinct morphological adjustments when exposed to an equal photosynthetic photon flux density (400 μmol·m−2·s−1) of different light qualities: monochromatic blue (BL), monochromatic red (RL), monochromatic far-red (FrL), mixed RL and FrL at 1:1 (RFr1:1L), mixed RL and FrL at 1:2 (RFr1:2L), and multi-wavelength white (WL, control). Compared with WL, FrL and BL significantly promoted height increment. However, BL was unfavorable for root growth. The seedling biomass was lower and the root-to-shoot ratio was smaller under BL. RL promoted leaf area enlargement, root growth, axillary bud number, and increased the root-to-shoot ratio, but inhibited stem elongation. Low R/Fr ratios or increased FrL proportion increased seedling stem elongation. The seedling growth under RFr1:1L treatment was poorer than that under other treatments; however, the number of axillary buds was the highest. The plasticity of leaf morphology traits was lower in different treatments, and that of axillary bud traits was crucial in the adaptation of C. lanceolata to light quality. Precise management of light quality and wavelength in controlled environments may maximize the economic efficiency of forest production and enhance its quality.

Variation in Leaf Morphological Traits of European Beech and Norway Spruce Over Two Decades in Switzerland

Leaf morphological traits (LMTs) of forest trees have been observed to vary across space and species. However, long-term records of LMTs are scarce, due to a lack of measurements and systematic leaf archives. This leaves a large gap in our understanding of the temporal dynamics and drivers of LMT variations, which may help us understand tree acclimation strategies. In our study, we used long-term LMT measurements from foliar material collections of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies), performed every second year from 1995 to 2019 on the same trees within the Swiss Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Program LWF. The 11 study plots (6 beech, 4 spruce, and 1 mixed) are distributed along gradients of elevation (485–1,650 m a.s.l.), mean annual precipitation (935–2142 mm), and mean annual temperature (3.2–9.8°C). The investigated LMTs were (i) leaf or needle mass, (ii) leaf area or needle length, and (iii) leaf mass per area or needle mass per length. We combined this unique data set with plot variables and long-term data on potential temporal drivers of LMT variations, including meteorological and tree trait data. We used univariate linear regressions and linear mixed-effects models to identify the main spatial and temporal drivers of LMT variations, respectively. For beech LMTs, our temporal analysis revealed effects of mast year and crown defoliation, and legacy effects of vapor pressure deficit and temperature in summer and autumn of the preceding year, but no clear long-term trend was observed. In contrast, spruce LMTs were mainly driven by current-year spring conditions, and only needle mass per length showed a decreasing long-term trend over the study period. In temporal models, we observed that LMTs of both species were influenced by elevation and foliar nutrient concentrations, and this finding was partly confirmed by our spatial analyses. Our results demonstrate the importance of temporal analysis for determining less recognized drivers and legacy effects that influence LMTs, which are difficult to determine across space and species. The observed differences in the temporal drivers of beech and spruce LMTs suggest differences in the adaptation and acclimation potential of the two species.

Leaf Functional Traits Vary in Urban Environments: Influences of Leaf Age, Land-Use Type, and Urban–Rural Gradient

An increasing number of studies have focused on the response and adaptation of plants to urbanization by comparing differences in leaf functional traits between urban and rural sites. However, considerable uncertainties remain because differences in land-use type have not frequently been taken into account when assessing the effect of urbanization on leaf traits. In this study, we sampled the needles of Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis Carr.) in areas with three land-use types (roadsides, parks, and neighborhoods) along an urban–rural gradient in Beijing, China to determine the effect of urbanization on leaf functional traits. There were significant differences in the values of leaf functional traits between the needles of the current and previous year and across land-use types. Pines growing on roadsides had leaves with smaller length, width, and area, as well as lower stomatal density, compared with those growing in parks and neighborhoods. This implies that on roadsides, plant capacity to acquire resources (e.g., light and carbon dioxide) was degraded. Stomatal density, leaf width, and leaf P concentration increased with increasing distance from the city center, while leaf K concentration decreased with increasing distance from the city center. Importantly, there were significant differences in the urban–rural gradient of leaf functional traits between leaves of different ages, and across land-use types. Leaf age was the most important factor influencing leaf nutrient traits, while land-use type was the most important factor influencing leaf morphological traits in urban environments. Thus, considering the effects of the plant characteristic and land-use type on traits is important for assessing the urban–rural gradients of plant functional traits.

Scaling-up trait covariation: Coordination and trade-offs within and among plant species in alpine meadow communities

<p indent="0mm">Functional traits and their covariation could reflect specific ecological strategies of organisms in response and adaptation to changing environment as the basis of understanding organism-environment relations at the individual, population, and community levels. Many studies report trait coordination and trade-offs among species over broad scales, especially for the leaf economic spectrum at regional and global scales. An increasing number of studies have attempted to explain and predict the functional (trait) structure of populations, communities, and vegetation in response to environmental change, but the mechanisms underpinning trait coordination and trade-offs may differ across ecological levels. We know little about this trait coordination and trade-offs within and among species in local communities, lacking not only relevant theoretical frameworks but also experimental evidence. Merging trait covariation into theory for community assembly, we predict: (1) Significant trait coordination or trade-offs among coexisting species occur when coexisting species occupy distinct ecological niches, similar to the pattern induced by specialization of species niches on a broad scale and (2) if trait covariations are induced by functional balance and/or structural optima, then consistent trait coordination and trade-offs within and among species will occur and scale up to the community and ecosystem levels. In this study, we experimentally test these predictions in local communities and discuss the potential mechanisms underpinning trait coordination and trade-offs from the scale of individual plants to vegetation. In Tibetan alpine meadows with high plant species richness but low environmental heterogeneity, we sampled two leaf stoichiometric traits (leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content), two leaf morphological traits (specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content) and mature plant height for three to five individuals for all coexisting species within each of 36 plant communities (plots) distributed along a gradient of environmental harshness. In each plot, we averaged trait values of individual samples of each species at the population-level, and used the mean of all populations of each species to indicate the species-level traits. We assessed pairwise trait correlation within and among 29 frequent species by standardized major axis regression and trait coordination and trade-offs among multiple traits by principal component analysis. Similar to the broad-scale pattern, we found that leaf nitrogen and phosphorus contents were significantly positively correlated with specific leaf area (negatively correlated with leaf dry matter content) among 29 coexisting species, but these trade-offs were significant at a population level in only a few species. Both among species and within most species, (1) leaf nitrogen content was significantly positively correlated with phosphorus content, likely induced by functional balance, (2) specific leaf area was negatively correlated with leaf dry matter content, indicating a structural optimum, (3) neither leaf stoichiometric nor morphological traits significantly correlated with plant height. Trait coordination and trade-offs were stronger for multiple trait relationships than for bivariate correlations. These results support our predictions and provide a basis and experimental evidence for scaling up trait covariations from individuals to communities.

Assessment of leaf morphological, physiological, chemical and stoichiometry functional traits for understanding the functioning of Himalayan temperate forest ecosystem

Leaf functional traits support plant survival and growth in different stress and disturbed conditions and respond according to leaf habit. The present study examined 13 leaf traits (3 morphological, 3 chemical, 5 physiological, and 2 stoichiometry) of nine dominant forest tree species (3 coniferous, 3 deciduous broad-leaved, 3 evergreen broad-leafed) to understand the varied response of leaf habits. The hypothesis was to test if functional traits of the conifers, deciduous and evergreen differ significantly in the temperate forest and to determine the applicability of leaf economic theory i.e., conservative vs. acquisitive resource investment, in the temperate Himalayan region. The attributes of the functional traits i.e., leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf water content (LWC), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration (E) followed the order deciduous > evergreen > coniferous. Leaf carbon and leaf C/N ratio showed the opposite pattern, coniferous > evergreen > deciduous. Chlorophyll (Chl) and photosynthetic rate (A) were highest for evergreen species, followed by deciduous and coniferous species. Also, structural equation modelling determined that morphological factors were negatively related to physiological and positively with chemical factors. Nevertheless, physiological and chemical factors were positively related to each other. The physiological traits were mainly regulated by stomatal conductance (Gs) however the morphological traits were determined by LDMC. Stoichiometry traits, such as leaf C/N, were found to be positively related to leaf carbon, and leaf N/P was found to be positively related to leaf nitrogen. The result of the leaf functional traits relationship would lead to precise prediction for the functionality of the temperate forest ecosystem at the regional scale.

Leaf trait modification in European beech trees in response to climatic and edaphic drought.

Leaf morphological and physiological traits control the carbon and water relations of mature trees and are determinants of drought tolerance, but it is not well understood how they are modified in response to water deficits. We analysed five sun-canopy leaf traits (mean leaf size (LS), specific leaf area (SLA), Huber value (HV), water potential at turgor loss point (Ψtlp ) and foliar carbon isotope signature (δ13 C)) in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) across three precipitation gradients sampled in moist (2010), dry (2019) and very dry (2018) summers, and tested their response to short-term water deficits (climatic water balance (CWB) preceding sample collection) and long-term water availability (mean annual precipitation (MAP), plant-available soil water capacity (AWC) and neighbourhood competition). Across the 34 sites, LS varied seven-fold (3.9-27.0 cm2 ), SLA four-fold (77.1-306.9 cm²·g-1 ) and HV six-fold (1.0-6.65 cm2 ·m-2 ). In the 2018 dataset, LS showed a negative and HV a positive relationship to MAP, which contradicts relations found in multi-species samples. Average Ψtlp ranged from -1.90 to -2.62 MPa and decreased across the sites with decreasing CWB in the month prior to measurement, as well as with decreasing MAP and AWC in 2019. Studied leaf traits varied considerably between years, suggesting that mast fruiting and the severe 2018 drought caused the formation of smaller leaves. We conclude that sun-canopy leaf traits of European beech exhibit considerable plasticity in response to climatic and edaphic aridity, and that osmotic adjustment may be an important element in the drought response strategy of this anisohydric tree species.

Identification of Alnus glutinosa L. and A. incana (L.) Moench. Hybrids in Natural Forests Using Nuclear DNA Microsatellite and Morphometric Markers

Two alder species (Alnus glutinosa and A. incana) have overlapping distribution, naturally occur in Lithuania, and are considered ecologically and economically important forest tree species. The objective of our study was to estimate the likelihood of spontaneous hybridizations between native alders in natural stands of Lithuania based on leaf morphology and nuclear microsatellite markers. The sampled trees were assigned to the three taxonomic groups of A. glutinosa, A. incana, and potential hybrids based on the leaf and bark morphological traits. The genetic differentiation and potential hybridization between these three groups was tested based on 15 nSSR markers. We identified studied Alnus spp. individuals as pure species and hybrids. Two microsatellite loci were reported as discriminating well between these species. We concluded that our results showed the highest likelihood of two genetic group structures, a clear genetic differentiation between the morphology-based groups of A. glutinosa and A. incana, and rather variable likelihood values in the putative hybrid group. The results provide important implications for genetic conservation and management of Alnus spp.

Biovera-Epi: A new database on species diversity, community composition and leaf functional traits of vascular epiphytes along gradients of elevation and forest-use intensity in Mexico.

BackgroundThis data paper describes a new, comprehensive database (BIOVERA-Epi) on species distributions and leaf functional traits of vascular epiphytes, a poorly studied plant group, along gradients of elevation and forest-use intensity in the central part of Veracruz State, Mexico. The distribution data include frequencies of 271 vascular epiphyte species belonging to 92 genera and 23 families across 120 20 m × 20 m forest plots at eight study sites along an elevational gradient from sea level to 3500 m a.s.l. In addition, BIOVERA-Epi provides information on 1595 measurements of nine morphological and chemical leaf traits from 474 individuals and 102 species. For morphological leaf traits, we provide data on each sampled leaf. For chemical leaf traits, we provide data at the species level per site and land-use type. We also provide complementary information for each of the sampled plots and host trees. BIOVERA-Epi contributes to an emerging body of synthetic epiphytes studies combining functional traits and community composition.New informationBIOVERA-Epi includes data on species frequency and leaf traits from 120 forest plots distributed along an elevational gradient, including six different forest types and three levels of forest-use intensity. It will expand the breadth of studies on epiphyte diversity, conservation and functional plant ecology in the Neotropics and will contribute to future synthetic studies on the ecology and diversity of tropical epiphyte assemblages.

The effect of wood ash application on growth, leaf morphological and physiological traits of trees planted in a cutaway peatland

The effect of wood ash application on growth, leaf morphological and physiological traits of trees planted in a cutaway peatland

Enabling different genetic diversity algorithms to unravel conservation and divergence in moringa germplasm accessions

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam. Moringaceae) leaves have enormously valued for their food, medicinal and industrial uses. To evolve improved leafy biomass producing cultivars, it is essential to systematically analyse the available morphological and genetic diversity. This study investigated the genetic diversity of 55 Moringa germplasm accessions using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and leaf morphological traits by employing a wide range of genetic distance measures, clustering procedures and other multivariate methods. Though analysis with DAR win 6.0 and TASSEL 4.0 has generated three clusters, NTSY Spc 2.0 and Power Marker v.3.25 produced only two major clusters. Morphological diversity was also analysed with five leaf traits using both Minitab 20.0 and XL-STAT and they produced two main clusters. Distantly related germplasm accessions identified in this study (such as Karumbu Murungai and Kappalpatti Murungai), would be of great importance in further genetic improvement of Moringa for increased leaf biomass, a valuable trait that can ensure nutritional and economic security. Key words: Moringa, Molecular markers, SSRs, Genetic diversity algorithms, Leaf biomass

Patterns of Leaf Morphological Traits of Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) along an Altitudinal Gradient

Broadleaved tree species in mountainous populations usually demonstrate high levels of diversity in leaf morphology among individuals, as a response to a variety of environmental conditions associated with changes in altitude. We investigated the parameters shaping leaf morphological diversity in 80 beech individuals (Fagus sylvatica L.), in light and shade leaves, growing along an elevational gradient and under different habitat types on Mt. Paggeo in northeastern Greece. A clear altitudinal pattern was observed in the morphological leaf traits expressing lamina size and shape; with increasing altitude, trees had leaves with smaller laminas, less elongated outlines, and fewer pairs of secondary veins. However, this altitudinal trend in leaf morphology was varied in different habitat types. Furthermore, the shade leaves and light leaves showed differences in their altitudinal trend. Traits expressing lamina shape in shade leaves were more related to altitude, while leaf size appeared to be more influenced by habitat type. While the altitudinal trend in leaf morphology has been well documented for numerous broadleaved tree species, in a small spatial scale, different patterns emerged across different habitat types. This morphological variability among trees growing in a mountainous population indicates a high potential for adaptation to environmental extremes.