Foliar trait contrasts between African forest and savanna trees: genetic versus environmental effects

Schrodt, Franziska, Domingues, Thomas F., Feldpausch, Ted, Saiz, Gustavo, Quesada, Carlos Alberto, Schwarze, Michael, Ishida, F. Yoko, Compaore, Halidou, Diallo, Adamo, Djagbletey, Gloria, Hien, Fidele, Sonké, Bonaventure, Toedoumg, Herman, Zapfack, Loius, Hiernaux, Pierre, Mougin, Eric, Bird, Michael I., Grace, John, Lewis, Simon L., Veenendaal, Elmar M., and Lloyd, Jon (2015) Foliar trait contrasts between African forest and savanna trees: genetic versus environmental effects. Functional Plant Biology, 42 (1). pp. 63-83.

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DOI: 10.1071/FP14040

View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/FP14040

903

Abstract

Variations in leaf mass per unit area (Ma) and foliar concentrations of N, P, C, K, Mg and Ca were determined for 365 trees growing in 23 plots along a West African precipitation gradient ranging from 0.29 to 1.62m a–1. Contrary to previous studies, no marked increase in Ma with declining precipitation was observed, but savanna tree foliar [N] tended to be higher at the drier sites (mass basis). Generally, Ma was slightly higher and [N] slightly lower for forest vs savanna trees with most of this difference attributable to differences in soil chemistry. No systematic variations in [P], [Mg] and [Ca] with precipitation or between trees of forest vs savanna stands were observed. We did, however, find a marked increase in foliar [K] of savanna trees as precipitation declined, with savanna trees also having a significantly lower [K] than those of nearby forest. These differences were not related to differences in soil nutrient status and were accompanied by systematic changes in [C] of opposite sign. We suggest an important but as yet unidentified role for K in the adaption of savanna species to periods of limited water availability; with foliar [K] being also an important factor differentiating tree species adapted to forest vs savanna soils within the 'zone of transition' of Western Africa.


Item ID:	39269
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1445-4416
Additional Information:	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution licence CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is cited in full.
Funders:	UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Royal Society
Projects and Grants:	NERC TROBIT Consortium award NE/D005590/1
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2015 03:19
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0501 Ecological Applications > 050101 Ecological Impacts of Climate Change @ 30% 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0501 Ecological Applications > 050102 Ecosystem Function @ 35% 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0604 Genetics > 060499 Genetics not elsewhere classified @ 35%
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9603 Climate and Climate Change > 960305 Ecosystem Adaptation to Climate Change @ 35% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9699 Other Environment > 969999 Environment not elsewhere classified @ 20% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960806 Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 45%
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