title: Ecophysiological differences among juvenile and reproductive plants of several woody species.
abstract: Photosynthetic and water relations characteristics of small juvenile and large reproductive plants were investigated during one growing season for four woody species native to Red Butte Canyon, Utah, USA: Acer negundo, Artemisia tridentata, Chrysothamnus nauseosus, and Salix exigua. For all species, juvenile plants differed from reproductive plants in at least one of the following characters: water potential, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, or water-use efficiency. Late in the growing season, mortality occurred within juvenile plants (apparently due to a lack of water), but not within reproductive plants. The observed differences between juvenile and reproductive classes are discussed in terms of environment, development, and mortality selection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Utah, 84112, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Utah, 84112, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ehleringer
keywords: Development; Ecophysiology; Environment; Mortality selection; Water-use efficiency