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Relationships between endophyte diversity and leaf optical properties

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Abstract

A single tropical plant species can harbour hundreds of endophyte species within its tissues. Beyond this, little is known about the relationship between endophyte colonization, leaf traits and spectral properties of leaves. We explore these relationships in Coccoloba cereifera, a plant well known for its symbiotic properties. Endophyte richness in C. cereifera was statistically correlated with leaf traits such as water content, the ratio of fresh weight/dry weight and polyphenol/leaf specific weight. Endophyte diversity was also related to spectral vegetation indices of chlorophyll content. The associations among endophyte diversity, leaf traits and spectral reflectance pose new questions and present new opportunities to better understand plant–fungal symbioses and related leaf optical properties.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is dedicated to Hubert Ziegler (founding editor of Trees: Structure and Function) for his contribution to innovative ideas in the science of plant physiology and ecology. We are grateful to Paul Savard, Daniela Esteves, Michel Storquio, Barbara Rosa and Isabela Nascimento for field measurements and assistance in the laboratory; Fernando A. O. Silveira, Daniel Negreiros, Marina B. M. Costa for comments on the manuscript. The research was supported by the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canadá (NSERC), the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) under its collaborative Research Network Program (Tropi-Dry, CRN2-021) funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (GEO 0452325), the Fundação de Amparo e Pesquisa de Minas Cerais (APQ-01278-08, EDT 465/07, CRA 122/07, RDP-00048-10); the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq 309633/2007-9, 476178/2008-8, 474292/2010-0, 559279/2008-6, 558250/2009-2, 151817/2008-1); and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES 002/2010 DRI/CGCI, BEX 323710-9).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Centre for Earth Observation Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada

    Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa, Ronald Aaron Ball & John Gamon

  2. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Ecologia Evolutiva and Biodiversidade/DBG, ICB/Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil

    Yumi Oki & G. Wilson Fernandes

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  1. Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa
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  2. Yumi Oki
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  3. G. Wilson Fernandes
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  4. Ronald Aaron Ball
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  5. John Gamon
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Correspondence to Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa.

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Communicated by R. Hampp.

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Sanchez-Azofeifa, A., Oki, Y., Wilson Fernandes, G. et al. Relationships between endophyte diversity and leaf optical properties. Trees 26, 291–299 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-011-0591-5

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