Leaf size and angle vary widely across species : what consequences for light interception? | Macquarie University ResearchOnline

Home

List Of Titles

Leaf size and angle vary widely across species : what consequences for light interception?

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/103389

35 Visitors

37 Hits

0 Downloads

Title: Leaf size and angle vary widely across species : what consequences for light interception?
Related: New phytologist, Vol. 158, Issue 3 (2003), p.509-525
DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00765.x
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
Date: 2003
FoR/RFCD Code(s): 060700 Plant Biology
Author/Creator: Falster, Daniel S
Author/Creator: Westoby, Mark
Description: • Architecture can vary widely across species. Both steeper leaf angles and increased self-shading are thought to reduce potential carbon gain by decreasing total light interception. An alternative hypothesis is that steeper leaf angles have evolved to improve day-long carbon gain by emphasising light interception from low angles. • Here we relate variation in architectural properties (leaf angle and leaf size) to cross-species patterns of leaf display, light capture and simulated carbon gain in branching-units of 38 perennial species occurring at two sites in Australian forest. Architectural comparison was made possible by combining 3D-digitising with the architecture model YPLANT. • Species with shallow angled leaves had greater daily light interception and potentially greater carbon gain. Self-shading, rather than leaf angle, explained most variance between species in light capture and potential carbon gain. Species average leaf size was the most important determinant of self-shading. • Our results provide the first cross-species evidence that steeper leaf angles function to reduce exposure to excess light levels during the middle of the day, more than to maximise carbon gain.
Description: 17 page(s)
Subject Keyword: 060700 Plant Biology
Subject Keyword: architecture
Subject Keyword: digitising
Subject Keyword: light interception
Subject Keyword: self-shading
Subject Keyword: YPLANT
Resource Type: journal article
Organisation: Macquarie University. Dept. of Biological Sciences

Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/103389
Identifier: ISSN:1469-8137
Identifier: mq-rm-2003017454
Language: eng
Reviewed

Macquarie University ResearchOnline

Search

Browse

Highlights

Resources