Linking functional traits to multiscale statistics of leaf venation networks

Title
Linking functional traits to multiscale statistics of leaf venation networks
Publication Date
2020-12
Author(s)
Blonder, Benjamin
Both, Sabine
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4437-5106
Email: sboth@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:sboth
Jodra, Miguel
Xu, Hao
Fricker, Mark
Matos, Ilaíne S
Majalap, Noreen
Burslem, David F R P
Teh, Yit Arn
Malhi, Yadvinder
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1111/nph.16830
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/30581
Abstract
  • Leaf venation networks evolved along several functional axes, including resource transport, damage resistance, mechanical strength, and construction cost. Because functions may depend on architectural features at different scales, network architecture may vary across spatial scales to satisfy functional tradeoffs.
  • We develop a framework for quantifying network architecture with multiscale statistics describing elongation ratios, circularity ratios, vein density, and minimum spanning tree ratios. We quantify vein networks for leaves of 260 southeast Asian tree species in samples of up to 2 cm2, pairing multiscale statistics with traits representing axes of resource transport, damage resistance, mechanical strength, and cost.
  • We show that these multiscale statistics clearly differentiate species' architecture and delineate a phenotype space that shifts at larger scales; functional linkages vary with scale and are weak, with vein density, minimum spanning tree ratio, and circularity ratio linked to mechanical strength (measured by force to punch) and elongation ratio and circularity ratio linked to damage resistance (measured by tannins); and phylogenetic conservatism of network architecture is low but scale-dependent.
  • This work provides tools to quantify the function and evolution of venation networks. Future studies including primary and secondary veins may uncover additional insights.
Link
Citation
New Phytologist, 228(6), p. 1796-1810
ISSN
1469-8137
0028-646X
Pubmed ID
32712991
Start page
1796
End page
1810
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International

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