title: Leaf economics and hydraulic traits are decoupled in five species-rich tropical-subtropical forests.
abstract: Leaf economics and hydraulic traits are critical to leaf photosynthesis, yet it is debated whether these two sets of traits vary in a fully coordinated manner or there is room for independent variation. Here, we tested the relationship between leaf economics traits, including leaf nitrogen concentration and leaf dry mass per area, and leaf hydraulic traits including stomatal density and vein density in five tropical-subtropical forests. Surprisingly, these two suites of traits were statistically decoupled. This decoupling suggests that independent trait dimensions exist within a leaf, with leaf economics dimension corresponding to light capture and tissue longevity, and the hydraulic dimension to water-use and leaf temperature maintenance. Clearly, leaf economics and hydraulic traits can vary independently, thus allowing for more possible plant trait combinations. Compared with a single trait dimension, multiple trait dimensions may better enable species adaptations to multifarious niche dimensions, promote diverse plant strategies and facilitate species coexistence.
authors.affiliation: Center of Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Center of Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
authors.forename: M Luke
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: Center of Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Chengen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Urban Environment, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
authors.forename: Deliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Tiantong National Station of Forest Ecosystem, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Tiantong National Station of Forest Ecosystem, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Urban Environment, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.|Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences and the Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51014, Tartu, Estonia.|Estonian Academy of Sciences, Kohtu 6, 10130, Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Ülo
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Niinemets
authors.affiliation: Center of Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
authors.forename: Dali
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D065928:Forests; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000502:physiology; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000502:physiology*; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014867:Water / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Functional divergence; leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C); leaf dry mass per area; leaf economics spectrum; leaf hydraulics; leaf nitrogen concentration; stomatal density; vein density; woody angiosperms