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The leaf‐area shrinkage effect can bias paleoclimate and ecology research
Author(s) -
Blonder Benjamin,
Buzzard Vanessa,
Simova Irena,
Sloat Lindsey,
Boyle Brad,
Lipson Rebecca,
AguilarBeaucage Brianna,
Andrade Angelina,
Barber Benjamin,
Barnes Chris,
Bushey Dharma,
Cartagena Paulina,
Chaney Max,
Contreras Karina,
Cox Mandarava,
Cueto Maya,
Curtis Can,
Fisher Mariah,
Furst Lindsey,
Gallegos Jessica,
Hall Ruby,
Hauschild Amelia,
Jerez Alex,
Jones Nadja,
Klucas Aaron,
Kono Anita,
Lamb Mary,
Matthai Jacob David Ruiz,
McIntyre Colten,
McKenna Joshua,
Mosier Nicholas,
Navabi Maya,
Ochoa Alex,
Pace Liam,
Plassmann Ryland,
Richter Rachel,
Russakoff Ben,
Aubyn Holden St.,
Stagg Ryan,
Sterner Marley,
Stewart Emily,
Thompson Ting Ting,
Thornton Jake,
Trujillo Parker J.,
Volpe Trevor J.,
Enquist Brian J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.3732/ajb.1200062
Subject(s) - shrinkage , biology , herbarium , temperate climate , trait , desiccation , botany , xylem , ecology , horticulture , composite material , materials science , computer science , programming language
• Premise of the Study: Leaf area is a key trait that links plant form, function, and environment. Measures of leaf area can be biased because leaf area is often estimated from dried or fossilized specimens that have shrunk by an unknown amount. We tested the common assumption that this shrinkage is negligible. • Methods: We measured shrinkage by comparing dry and fresh leaf area in 3401 leaves of 380 temperate and tropical species and used phylogenetic and trait‐based approaches to determine predictors of this shrinkage. We also tested the effects of rehydration and simulated fossilization on shrinkage in four species. • Key Results: We found that dried leaves shrink in area by an average of 22% and a maximum of 82%. Shrinkage in dried leaves can be predicted by multiple morphological traits with a standard deviation of 7.8%. We also found that mud burial, a proxy for compression fossilization, caused negligible shrinkage, and that rehydration, a potential treatment of dried herbarium specimens, eliminated shrinkage. • Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the amount of shrinkage is driven by variation in leaf area, leaf thickness, evergreenness, and woodiness and can be reversed by rehydration. The amount of shrinkage may also be a useful trait related to ecologically and physiological differences in drought tolerance and plant life history.