Stem and leaf hydraulics of congeneric tree species from adjacent tropical savanna and forest ecosystems

Abstract

Leaf and stem functional traits related to plant water relations were studied for six congeneric species pairs, each composed of one tree species typical of savanna habitats and another typical of adjacent forest habitats, to determine whether there were intrinsic differences in plant hydraulics between these two functional types. Only individuals growing in savanna habitats were studied. Most stem traits, including wood density, the xylem water potential at 50-percent loss of hydraulic conductivity, sapwood area specific conductivity, and leaf area specific conductivity did not differ significantly between savanna and forest species. However, maximum leaf hydraulic conductance (K_leaf) and leaf capacitance tended to be higher in savanna species. Predawn leaf water potential and leaf mass per area were also higher in savanna species in all congeneric pairs.

Citation

Hao, Guang You; Hoffmann, William A.; Scholz, Fabian G.; Bucci, Sandra J.; Meinzer, Frederick C.; Franco, Augusto C.; Cao, Kun-Fang; Goldstein, Guillermo. 2008. Stem and leaf hydraulics of congeneric tree species from adjacent tropical savanna and forest ecosystems. Oecologia. 155: 405-415