Journal
NEW PHYTOLOGIST
Volume 224, Issue 4, Pages 1544-1556Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/nph.15998
Keywords
biomechanics; Corner's rules; Huber value; leaf economics spectrum; leaf size; trait trade-off; wood density; xylem hydraulics
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Funding
- Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) [CGL2013-46808-R, CGL2017-89149-C2-1-R]
- FPI scholarship from MINECO
- ICREA Academia award
- University of Nottingham Anne McLaren fellowship
- Australian Research Council (ARC) through the Australia-New Zealand Research Network
- TRY initiative on plant traits
- Swedish Research Council Formas [2016-00998]
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Biomass and area ratios between leaves, stems and roots regulate many physiological and ecological processes. The Huber value H-v (sapwood area/leaf area ratio) is central to plant water balance and drought responses. However, its coordination with key plant functional traits is poorly understood, and prevents developing trait-based prediction models. Based on theoretical arguments, we hypothesise that global patterns in H-v of terminal woody branches can be predicted from variables related to plant trait spectra, that is plant hydraulics and size and leaf economics. Using a global compilation of 1135 species-averaged H-v, we show that H-v varies over three orders of magnitude. Higher H-v are seen in short small-leaved low-specific leaf area (SLA) shrubs with low K-s in arid relative to tall large-leaved high-SLA trees with high K-s in moist environments. All traits depend on climate but climatic correlations are stronger for explanatory traits than H-v. Negative isometry is found between H-v and K-s, suggesting a compensation to maintain hydraulic supply to leaves across species. This work identifies the major global drivers of branch sapwood/leaf area ratios. Our approach based on widely available traits facilitates the development of accurate models of above-ground biomass allocation and helps predict vegetation responses to drought.
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