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Australian Journal of Botany Australian Journal of Botany Society
Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Temperature influences stomatal density and maximum potential water loss through stomata of Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustissima along a latitude gradient in southern Australia

Kathryn E. Hill A C , Greg R. Guerin A , Robert S. Hill A B and Jennifer R. Watling A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

B South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: kathryn.hill@adelaide.edu.au

Australian Journal of Botany 62(8) 657-665 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT14204
Submitted: 20 August 2014  Accepted: 11 December 2014   Published: 26 March 2015

Abstract

It is well known that physical leaf traits influence leaf functions, and that these traits vary across environmental gradients. Stomata can influence leaf function, with changes in density and size affecting potential water loss, CO2 uptake, and also leaf cooling. Plasticity in stomatal traits occurs in response to environmental factors; however, identifying which factors have the greatest influence is often difficult. We investigated variation in leaf size, stomatal density and size, and potential water loss from open stomata (gwmax), in the Australian native shrub Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustissima, across a range of environmental factors including temperature, rainfall and CO2. We used herbarium specimens collected across a latitudinal gradient, and also sampled along an elevation gradient in southern Australia. There were significant relationships between mean summer maximum temperature and stomatal density, and gwmax. We found no significant relationships between rainfall or CO2 and the leaf traits we studied. Increased stomatal density at warmer locations may result in an increase in the potential for transpiration, as a means for evaporative cooling. Alternatively, it may enable increased CO2 and nutrient uptake during the short, winter-growing season.


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