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Ontogenetic changes in leaf phenology of two co-occurring Mediterranean oaks differing in leaf life span

  • Original Article
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Ecological Research

Abstract

Large differences in leaf physiology and morphology between ontogenetic stages of a single woody species have often been observed. Far less attention, however, has been devoted to studying the ontogenetic changes observed in leaf phenology patterns, despite the relevance of leaf phenology in determining the leaf carbon balance and leaf and plant mortality. Leaf emergence patterns and leaf longevity were studied in the saplings and mature trees of the evergreen Quercus ilex and the deciduous Quercus faginea. Our aim here was to analyze and interpret the possible tree-age related differences in these leaf traits. Unlike the adults, in which only one flush of leaf growth was observed, several leaf cohorts were produced within each year in the saplings. Sapling leaves showed a lower mean duration than those of the adults. However, Q. faginea saplings exhibited large plasticity in leaf longevity, which was not seen in the case of Q. ilex. The differences in leaf emergence patterns and in leaf longevity between growth stages seemed to be related to differences in resource availability for leaf production and in leaf mass per unit area, respectively. We propose that the sequential leaf development in saplings may be an important mechanism enabling tree species to cope with resource limitation in the early stages of life.

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Acknowledgments

This paper has received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Education (Projects No. FOR89-0845 and AMB95-0800) and from the Junta de Castilla y León (Projects No. SA47/95 and SA72/00B).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37071, Salamanca, Spain

    Sonia Mediavilla & Alfonso Escudero

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  1. Sonia Mediavilla
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  2. Alfonso Escudero
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Correspondence to Sonia Mediavilla.

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Mediavilla, S., Escudero, A. Ontogenetic changes in leaf phenology of two co-occurring Mediterranean oaks differing in leaf life span. Ecol Res 24, 1083–1090 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-009-0587-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-009-0587-4

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