eCite Digital Repository
The worldwide leaf economics spectrum
Citation
Wright, IJ and Reich, PB and Westoby, M and Ackerly, DD and Baruch, Z and Bongers, F and Cavender-Bares, J and Chapin, T and Cornelissen, JHC and Diemer, M and Flexas, J and Garnier, E and Groom, PK and Gulias, J and Hikosaka, K and Lamont, BB and Lee, T and Lee, W and Lusk, C and Midgley, JJ and Navas, ML and Niinemets, U and Oleksyn, J and Osada, N and Poorter, H and Poot, P and Prior, LD and Pyankov, VI and Roumet, C and Thomas, SC and Tjoelker, MG and Veneklaas, EJ and Villar, R, The worldwide leaf economics spectrum , Nature, 428, (6985) pp. 821-827. ISSN 0028-0836 (2004) [Refereed Article]
 | PDF Restricted - Request a copy 420Kb |
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2004 Nature Publishing Group
Abstract
Bringing together leaf trait data spanning 2,548 species and 175 sites we describe, for the first time at global scale, a universal spectrum of leaf economics consisting of key chemical, structural and physiological properties. The spectrum runs from quick to slow return on investments of nutrients and dry mass in leaves, and operates largely independently of growth form, plant functional type or biome. Categories along the spectrum would, in general, describe leaf economic variation at the global scale better than plant functional types, because functional types overlap substantially in their leaf traits. Overall, modulation of leaf traits and trait relationships by climate is surprisingly modest, although some striking and significant patterns can be seen. Reliable quantification of the leaf economics spectrum and its interaction with climate will prove valuable for modelling nutrient fluxes and vegetation boundaries under changing land-use and climate.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Ecology |
| Research Field: | Terrestrial ecology |
| Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
| Objective Group: | Terrestrial systems and management |
| Objective Field: | Terrestrial biodiversity |
| UTAS Author: | Prior, LD (Dr Lynda Prior) |
| ID Code: | 72702 |
| Year Published: | 2004 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 5489 |
| Deposited By: | Research Division |
| Deposited On: | 2011-08-30 |
| Last Modified: | 2011-09-29 |
| Downloads: | 58 View Download Statistics |
Repository Staff Only: item control page