Coordination between Leaf Construction Cost and Mechanical Resistance of Dominant Woody Species in Subtropical Forests at Different Successional Stages

Abstract:

In order to reveal the leaf energy investment strategy of subtropical forest trees at different successional stages and the correlations between leaf construction cost and mechanical resistance, the suits of leaf traits, including force to tear (F_t), force to punch (F_p), leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf lifespan (LLS), leaf construction cost per area (CC_area), leaf cuticle thickness (T_c), and leaf maximum photosynthesis per area (A_area), for 14 dominant woody species from subtropical forests at different successional stages were measured, and the correlations between leaf construction cost and mechanical resistance were analyzed. The results showed that the dominant species from late successional forest had higher CC_area, F_t and F_p, but lower A_area than those in early successional forest. In addition, CC_area was positively correlated with both F_t and F_p. Moreover, the structural traits, such as T_c and LMA, were positively correlated with CC_area and mechanical resistance. Therefore, it was illustrated the coordination between CC_area and mechanical resistance, along with the changes in structural traits might be responsible (at least partially) for this shift of leaf energy investment strategy for trees occurred at different successional subtropical forests.