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Leaf traits and their interrelationship of 23 plant species in southeast of Keerqin Sandy Lands, China

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Frontiers of Biology in China

Abstract

Six leaf traits, i.e., fresh mass (FM), dry mass (DM), leaf dry matter content (DMC), area (AR), specific leaf area (SLA) and thickness (TH) from 23 plant species in the southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands, China were measured. The results show that leaf traits of herbs were more diversified than those of shrubs and trees and average SLA tended towards a decreasing trend from herbs to shrubs to trees. On the contrary, DMC and DM show an upward trend from herbs to shrubs to trees. No apparent difference was found in TH. Except forDMand TH, there were significant variations in SLA and DMC among three different growth forms. Moreover, a significant correlation was found between SLA and DMC. It is concluded that SLA and DMC could be used to predict species position along a resource use gradient.

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Correspondence to Dehui Zeng.

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Translated from Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2006, 25: 921–925 [译自: 生态学杂志]

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Liu, J., Zeng, D., Lee, D.K. et al. Leaf traits and their interrelationship of 23 plant species in southeast of Keerqin Sandy Lands, China. Front. Biol. China 3, 332–337 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11515-008-0050-x

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