Abstract
Leaf Area and Internode Length of foliage shoots of dicotyledonous overstorey species become greater in magnitude as soils of plant communities decrease in nutrients. The overstorey of heathy open-forests and heathlands grows during summer to produce large leaves with long internodes, whereas the overstoreys of the savanna and rainforest edaphic complexes grow during spring and autumn. With decreased solar radiation (transmitted through the gaps in the overstorey canopy), reduced development in Leaf Areas has been observed in nutrient-rich ecosystems; little change in Leaf Specific Area and Internode Length (except in the cool-temperature Nothofagus forest) of dicotyledonous foliage shoots of the understorey stratum has occurred at the same time. Understorey plants in nutrient-poor ecosystems produce small leaves with very short internodes. Compaction of leaves on foliage shoots in nutrient-poor ecosystems results in increased temperatures at the stem-air interface, as foliage shoots are exposed to direct solar radiation under still-air conditions. Increased temperatures at the stem-air interface of understorey foliage shoots, with small, densely-packed leaves, induce earlier seasonal shoot growth and flowering in the understorey stratum. These foliage attributes appear to be an evolutionary response that optimises photosynthesis in plant communities growing on nutrient-poor soils. -Authors
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Overstorey leaf area and internode length increased as soil nutrients decreased.
Verbatim
e0“Leaf Area and Internode Length of foliage shoots of dicotyledonous overstorey species become greater in magnitude as soils of plant communities decrease in nutrients”
Claim · model-written summary
Heathy open-forest and heathland overstoreys grew during summer, producing large leaves and long internodes.
Verbatim
e0“The overstorey of heathy open-forests and heathlands grows during summer to produce large leaves with long internodes”
t0“dicotyledonous overstorey and understorey strata”
Claim · model-written summary
Savanna and rainforest overstoreys grew during spring and autumn.
Verbatim
e0“the overstoreys of the savanna and rainforest edaphic complexes grow during spring and autumn”
t0“dicotyledonous overstorey and understorey strata”
Claim · model-written summary
Reduced solar radiation was associated with reduced leaf area development in nutrient-rich understoreys.
Verbatim
e0“With decreased solar radiation (transmitted through the gaps in the overstorey canopy), reduced development in Leaf Areas has been observed in nutrient-rich ecosystems”
t0“understorey strata”
Claim · model-written summary
Understorey foliage shoots showed little change in leaf specific area and internode length, except in cool Nothofagus forest.
Verbatim
e0“little change in Leaf Specific Area and Internode Length (except in the cool-temperature Nothofagus forest) of dicotyledonous foliage shoots of the understorey stratum”
Claim · model-written summary
Understorey plants in nutrient-poor ecosystems produced small leaves and short internodes.
Verbatim
e0“Understorey plants in nutrient-poor ecosystems produce small leaves with very short internodes”
Claim · model-written summary
Compact leaves increased stem-air interface temperature under direct solar radiation and still air.
Verbatim
e0“Compaction of leaves on foliage shoots in nutrient-poor ecosystems results in increased temperatures at the stem-air interface, as foliage shoots are exposed to direct solar radiation under still-air conditions”
t0“dicotyledonous overstorey and understorey strata”
Claim · model-written summary
Increased stem-air temperature induced earlier shoot growth and flowering in understorey shoots.
Verbatim
e0“Increased temperatures at the stem-air interface of understorey foliage shoots, with small, densely-packed leaves, induce earlier seasonal shoot growth and flowering in the understorey stratum”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors interpreted these foliage attributes as an evolutionary response optimizing photosynthesis on nutrient-poor soils.
Verbatim
e0“These foliage attributes appear to be an evolutionary response that optimises photosynthesis in plant communities growing on nutrient-poor soils”