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Soil water potential does not affect leaf morphology or cuticular characters important for palaeo-environmental reconstructions in southern beech, Nothofagus cunninghamii (Nothofagaceae)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 12:54 authored by Mark HovendenMark Hovenden, Jacqueline Vander SchoorJacqueline Vander SchoorLeaf form is closely related to local prevailing abiotic conditions and thus the morphology of fossil and sub-fossil leaves is often used to reconstruct both historical and palaeo-environmental conditions. However, palaeoenvironmental reconstruction is difficult because leaf form is controlled potentially by many interacting environmental factors such as temperature, CO2 concentration, light and water availability. We used a glasshouse trial to investigate the impact of water availability on the leaf and cuticle morphology of a species important for palaeo-environmental reconstruction, the southern beech, Nothofagus cunninghamii. We found that reducing soil water potential to –0.2 or –0.5 MPa had no impact on leaf form or cuticular characters, despite reducing leaf carbon assimilation and severely restricting plant growth. Although plant accession affected many leaf characters, there were few significant impacts of altitude of origin and no substantial interactions between altitude of origin and soil water potential. Thus, both cuticular and gross leaf morphology seem to be stable across a range of soil water potentials in this species, meaning that palaeoenvironmental signals from this species are unlikely to be affected by changes in water availability.
Funding
Australian Research Council
History
Publication title
Australian Journal of BotanyVolume
60Pagination
87-95ISSN
0067-1924Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
C S I R O PublishingPlace of publication
150 Oxford St, Po Box 1139, Collingwood, Australia, Victoria, 3066Rights statement
Copyright 2012 CSIRORepository Status
- Restricted