Specific leaf area (SLA) serves as a proxy to predict total carbon content in understory individuals of the neotropical canopy palm Socratea exorrhiza
Fecha
2023
Tipo
artículo original
Autores
Ávalos Rodríguez, Gerardo
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Resumen
Evaluating intraspecifc and ontogenetic variation in SLA is critical to understand how functional traits infuence plant ftness and regeneration strategies. SLA is usually expressed as an average value per species. Its variation across
ontogenetic stages and environmental gradients is poorly known, particularly in palms. I measured SLA in 112 palms of
Socratea exorrhiza in the understory of a tropical rainforest in Costa Rica. Total carbon content sequestered per palm (kg)
was estimated from an allometric equation. I determined the regression between Ln SLA and Ln carbon content, and then
used principal components to summarize the regeneration strategy of S. exorrhiza by examining the allometry of stem length
and diameter, number of fronds, number of stilt roots, stilt root cone height, slenderness ratio, SLA, and carbon content. SLA
predicted total sequestered carbon (slope = −4.33, r
2=0. 52). Smaller values of SLA were associated with increased carbon
content and larger palms. Two components explained 77% of the variation in functional traits. The frst (76%) was dominated
by stem diameter, height, stilt root cone, and carbon content (negatively associated with SLA) and refected palm size; the
second (15%) was dominated by slenderness ratio and number of leaves and refected allocation to growth in height. The
inverse relationship between SLA and sequestered carbon is consistent with the initial shade tolerant, conservative resource
use strategy of S. exorrhiza.
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Palabras clave
CARBON, TROPICAL FORESTS, PLANTS