10.5061/DRYAD.R3N45
Price, Charles A.
University of Western Australia
Wright, Ian J.
Macquarie University
Ackerly, David D.
University of Western Australia
Niinemets, Ülo
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Reich, Peter B.
Western Sydney University
University of Minnesota
Veneklaas, Erik J.
University of Western Australia
Data from: Are leaf functional traits “invariant” with plant size, and
what is “invariance” anyway?
Dryad
dataset
2015
Calathea
Hebe
Brachychiton
Olearia
Eugenia
Pickeringia
Hippophae
Arisaema
Gompholobium
Juncus
Cassiope
Baptisia
Arctagrostis
Buxus
Anacardium
Allophylus
Celtis
Chamaedorea
Eurya
Magnolia
Clarisia
Baccharis
Oxytropis
Liquidambar
Erythroxylum
Geum
Crataegus
Oreopanax
metabolic theory of ecology
Juglans
Adenostoma
Calluna
Castilla
Hedysarum
Licania
Myriocarpa
Daphne
Epilobium
Phyllota
Carya
Dirca
Bossiaea
Physocarpus
Ficus
Geijera
Persea
Manihot
Galax
Hampea
Astronium
Goupia
Fagus
Cecropia
Bactris
metabolic scaling theory
Allocasuarina
Castanea
Eriostemon
Hierochloe
Heliocarpus
Erica
Persoonia
Aspidosperma
Ligustrum
Bellucia
Andromeda
Eriophorum
Alnus
Castanopsis
Cymbopetalum
Hakea
Lonchocarpus
Lepechinia
Cassinia
Lupinus
Carex
Buddleja
Lambertia
Camellia
Gynoxys
Clidemia
Chuquiraga
Clethra
Larrea
Eucalyptus
Calamagrostis
Orthion
Antirhea
Dendropanax
Myrica
Corymbia
Lyonia
Artemisia
Dialium
Garcinia
Micrandra
Omphalea
Betula
Inga
Erythronium
plant height
Dryas
Heteromeles
Ilex
Dussia
Amelanchier
Eupatorium
Neolitsea
Picea
Aegiphila
Helianthemum
Arctostaphylos
Larix
Ceanothus
Abies
Gutierrezia
Philotheca
Luzula
Lasiopetalum
Lomatia
Helianthus
Cynometra
Kalmia
Fraxinus
Empetrum
Amphitecna
Loricaria
Maesa
Coccoloba
Lunania
Acalypha
Melaleuca
Cotoneaster
Croton
Eperua
Eriodictyon
Guarea
Mortoniodendron
Boronia
Cleyera
Cupania
Astrotricha
Beyeria
Eutaxia
Acacia
Atriplex
Euonymus
Casearia
Macrozamia
Corylus
Erythrina
Hibbertia
Myrsine
Nectandra
Laburnum
Dodonaea
Petasites
Brosimum
Guamia
Holodiscus
Bursera
Photinia
Phosphorus
Carpinus
Cytisus
Arbutus
Pimelea
Loiseleuria
Capparis
Echinacea
Malus
Leptospermum
Liriodendron
Bistorta
Bertya
Miconia
Banksia
Correa
Faramea
Elaeagnus
Equisetum
Cinnamomum
Diplostephium
Aesculus
Cercocarpus
Grevillea
Illicium
Berberis
Eremophila
Lotus
Cordia
Juniperus
Bauhinia
Cardamine
Chamaedaphne
Callitris
Caraipa
Lonicera
Luehea
Astrocaryum
leaf area
Hedyosmum
2015-04-30T00:00:00Z
2015-04-30T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12298
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Studies of size-related plant traits have established a suite of
mathematical functions describing whole plant investment and allocation.
In parallel, studies of plant “economic spectra” have measured the scaling
and variance composition of traits related to the major dimensions of both
structure and function. Here we explore the intersection of these two
broad areas by exploring the notion that many leaf economic traits are
invariant with species differences in adult plant size. Invariant traits
are those that do not change with plant size and are invoked as a key
simplifying assumption of prominent models that purport to explain the
scaling of plant size and metabolism. Unfortunately, leaf trait invariance
is neither well defined nor understood, and has never been critically
evaluated. Using a global plant trait dataset, we evaluated whether nine
key traits can be considered as effectively invariant as a function of the
maximum height of plant species, within and across plant growth forms, and
within and across broad taxonomic groups. We also examine the influence of
habitat, biome and global spatial scales on the size-relative variance in
plant functional traits. We suggest that while invariance is an intuitive
concept, an objective statistical definition is elusive. Expanding on
ideas drawn from the study of life history invariants, we propose five
criteria to identify traits that are effectively invariant, depending on
the research question. We show that all studied “leaf economic spectrum”
(LES) traits approach invariance within and between herbaceous and woody
plant groups; angiosperms and gymnosperms; and within most biome and
habitat types. Individual leaf area, however, shows a modest increase with
plant size, and there are significant shifts in the average LES trait
values at a given plant maximum height, among the plant growth forms and
taxonomic groups. Our results demonstrate that generally, LES traits show
little interspecific variation with maximum plant height, which provides
some support for attempts to model plants with “average” leaf properties.
Our work also highlights the need for a better understanding of the
drivers of leaf size variation within and across individuals, functional
groups, clades, biomes and habitats.
Price et al Data for DryadLeaf functional trait data, plant and leaf size,
habitat and biome classifications for 540 plant species.