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Full-Text Articles in Forest Sciences
Investigating Within-Canopy Variation Of Functional Traits And Cellular Structure Of Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum) Leaves, Adam P. Coble
Investigating Within-Canopy Variation Of Functional Traits And Cellular Structure Of Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum) Leaves, Adam P. Coble
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open
Patterns of increasing leaf mass per area (LMA), area-based leaf nitrogen (Narea), and carbon isotope composition (δ13C) with increasing height in the canopy have been attributed to light gradients or hydraulic limitation in tall trees. Theoretical optimal distributions of LMA and Narea that scale with light maximize canopy photosynthesis; however, sub-optimal distributions are often observed due to hydraulic constraints on leaf development. Using observational, experimental, and modeling approaches, we investigated the response of leaf functional traits (LMA, density, thickness, and leaf nitrogen), leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C), and cellular structure to light availability, height, and leaf water …