Physiological and structural tradeoffs underlying the leaf economics spectrum

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.14496
• Publication Date: 2017-03-10T17:45:21Z
• Authors: Yusuke Onoda; Ian J. Wright; John R. Evans; Kouki Hikosaka; Kaoru Kitajima; Ülo Niinemets; Hendrik Poorter; Tiina Tosens; Mark Westoby
• Keywords: Photosynthetic capacity

The leaf economics spectrum (LES) represents a suite of intercorrelated traits concerning construction costs per unit area, nutrient concentrations, and rates carbon fixation tissue turnover. Although broad trade-offs among structural physiological have been demonstrated, we still do not comprehensive view the fundamental constraints underlying LES trade-offs. Here, investigated mechanisms underpinning by analysing novel data compilation incorporating rarely considered such as dry mass fraction in cell walls, nitrogen allocation, mesophyll CO2 diffusion associated anatomical for hundreds species covering major growth forms. analysis demonstrates that wall constituents are components (18-70%), especially leaves with high area (LMA) long lifespan. A greater walls is typically lower (N) invested photosynthetic proteins; within-leaf rates, result thicker walls. investments underpin LES: lifespans achieved via higher LMA turn fraction, but this inevitably reduces efficiency photosynthesis.