Ricerc@Sapienza

Leaf mass per area (LMA) is one of the key features that correlates with the ecological performance both of seed plants and ferns. For ferns LMA is at the lower end of the range for seed plants and increases with leaf longevity. Data concerning morphological and anatomical traits of ferns and their relationship with LMA are quite limited. The objectives of this study were to (1) break down LMA into anatomical components; and (2) analyze the trade-offs between anatomical and morphological leaf traits, which determine LMA variations for three evergreen ferns.

The results highlight significant variations of Wollemia nobilis leaf traits which reflect age-related changes of the subsequent growth units along the branches. Age-related changes appear in a gradual increase of leaf size from young leaves to old leaves.

The covariation pattern among leaf functional traits involved in resource acquisition has been successfully provided by the leaf economic spectrum (LES). Nevertheless, some aspects such as how the leaf trait variation sources affect LES predictions are still little investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this paper was to test whether leaf trait variations within different leaf cohorts could alter LES. Improving this knowledge can extend the potential of trait-based approaches in simulating future climate effects on ecosystems.