Foliar trait contrasts between African forest and savanna trees: genetic versus environmental effects

Schrodt, Franziska; Domingues, Tomas F.; Feldpausch, Ted R.; Saiz, Gustavo; Quesada, Carlos Alberto; Schwarz, Michael; Ishida, F. Yoko; Compaore, Halidou; Diallo, Adamo; Djagbletey, Gloria; Hien, Fidele; Toedoumg, Herman; Zapfack, Loius; Hiernaux, Pierre; Mougin, Eric; Bird, Michael. I.; Grace, John; Lewis, Simon L.; Veenendaal, Elmar M.; Lloyd, Jon

doi:10.1071/fp14040

Foliar trait contrasts between African forest and savanna trees: genetic versus environmental effects

Authors

Dr FRANZISKA SCHRODT FRANZISKA.SCHRODT1@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Associate Professor

Tomas F. Domingues

Ted R. Feldpausch

Gustavo Saiz

Carlos Alberto Quesada

Michael Schwarz

F. Yoko Ishida

Halidou Compaore

Adamo Diallo

Gloria Djagbletey

Fidele Hien

Bonaventure

Herman Toedoumg

Loius Zapfack

Pierre Hiernaux

Eric Mougin

Michael. I. Bird

John Grace

Simon L. Lewis

Elmar M. Veenendaal

Jon Lloyd

Abstract

Variations in leaf mass per unit area (Ma) and foliar concentrations of N, P, C, K, Mg and Ca were determined for 365 trees growing in 23 plots along a West African precipitation gradient ranging from 0.29 to 1.62 m a–1. Contrary to previous studies, no marked increase in Ma with declining precipitation was observed, but savanna tree foliar [N] tended to be higher at the drier sites (mass basis). Generally, Ma was slightly higher and [N] slightly lower for forest vs savanna trees with most of this difference attributable to differences in soil chemistry. No systematic variations in [P], [Mg] and [Ca] with precipitation or between trees of forest vs savanna stands were observed. We did, however, find a marked increase in foliar [K] of savanna trees as precipitation declined, with savanna trees also having a significantly lower [K] than those of nearby forest. These differences were not related to differences in soil nutrient status and were accompanied by systematic changes in [C] of opposite sign. We suggest an important but as yet unidentified role for K in the adaption of savanna species to periods of limited water availability; with foliar [K] being also an important factor differentiating tree species adapted to forest vs savanna soils within the ‘zone of transition’ of Western Africa.

Citation

Schrodt, F., Domingues, T. F., Feldpausch, T. R., Saiz, G., Quesada, C. A., Schwarz, M., …Lloyd, J. (2014). Foliar trait contrasts between African forest and savanna trees: genetic versus environmental effects. Functional Plant Biology, 42(1), 63-83. https://doi.org/10.1071/fp14040

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Jul 9, 2014
Online Publication Date	Nov 6, 2014
Publication Date	Nov 6, 2014
Deposit Date	Dec 14, 2018
Publicly Available Date	Apr 5, 2019
Journal	Functional Plant Biology
Print ISSN	1445-4408
Electronic ISSN	1445-4416
Publisher	CSIRO Publishing
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	42
Issue	1
Pages	63-83
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1071/fp14040
Keywords	Agronomy and Crop Science; Plant Science
Public URL	https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1415490
Publisher URL	http://www.publish.csiro.au/fp/FP14040