Leaf traits and shoot performance of an evergreen shrub, Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens , in accordance with latitudinal change

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Botany
• Main Author: Kudo, Gaku
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1995
• Subjects: Plant Science; Arctic; taiga; Tundra
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b95-157; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b95-157

Individual leaf traits, leaf age structure, and leaf dry mass of Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens were compared at three sites along a latitudinal gradient: temperate mountain (43°30′N), taiga (62°10′N), and arctic tundra (71°25′N). At the arctic site, L. palustre produced leaves having longer life-span, higher nitrogen concentration, and smaller size and specific leaf area (SLA) in comparison with that at the temperate mountain site. Although current leaf number and annual shoot growth were smaller, leaf dry mass per stem was larger at the arctic site than at the temperate mountain site. At the taiga site, those traits were within the range of the other two sites, with the exception of leaf size and total leaf number per stem, which were largest at the taiga site. Leaf life-span was negatively correlated to SLA and annual leaf number per stem and positively correlated to leaf nitrogen concentration. Thus, with increasing latitude, L. palustre produced fewer but more costly leaves and retained them for longer. Old leaves might have a resource storage function supporting new leaf production. Key words: latitude, leaf life-span, Ledum palustre, nitrogen, specific leaf area.