Leaf economics and hydraulic traits are decoupled in five species‐rich tropical‐subtropical forests

• Published in: Ecology letters Vol. 18; no. 9; pp. 899 - 906
• Main Authors: Li, Le, McCormack, M. Luke, Ma, Chengen, Kong, Deliang, Zhang, Qian, Chen, Xiaoyong, Zeng, Hui, Niinemets, Ülo, Guo, Dali, Peñuelas, Josep
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Science 01.09.2015; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Botany; China; Evolution; Forests; Functional divergence; leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C); leaf dry mass per area; leaf economics spectrum; leaf hydraulics; leaf nitrogen concentration; Leaves; longevity; Magnoliopsida - physiology; Nitrogen - chemistry; nitrogen content; Photosynthesis; Phylogeny; Plant Leaves - anatomy & histology; Plant Leaves - physiology; Plant Stomata - physiology; Plant Transpiration; Rainforests; stomatal density; temperature; Tropical Climate; vein density; Water - physiology; woody angiosperms; leaf dry mass per area; leaf economics spectrum; Functional divergence; leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C); stomatal density; leaf hydraulics; vein density; leaf nitrogen concentration; woody angiosperms
• ISSN: 1461-023X; 1461-0248
• DOI: 10.1111/ele.12466

Leaf economics and hydraulic traits are critical to leaf photosynthesis, yet it is debated whether these two sets of traits vary in a fully coordinated manner or there is room for independent variation. Here, we tested the relationship between leaf economics traits, including leaf nitrogen concentration and leaf dry mass per area, and leaf hydraulic traits including stomatal density and vein density in five tropical‐subtropical forests. Surprisingly, these two suites of traits were statistically decoupled. This decoupling suggests that independent trait dimensions exist within a leaf, with leaf economics dimension corresponding to light capture and tissue longevity, and the hydraulic dimension to water‐use and leaf temperature maintenance. Clearly, leaf economics and hydraulic traits can vary independently, thus allowing for more possible plant trait combinations. Compared with a single trait dimension, multiple trait dimensions may better enable species adaptations to multifarious niche dimensions, promote diverse plant strategies and facilitate species coexistence.