| Abstract Detail
Koptur, Suzanne [1], Gamper, Heather [2], Khorsand, Roxaneh [3], Oberbauer, Steven [1]. Leaf size differences after hurricane damage in woody plants of subtropical Everglades upland forests. Following defoliation by Hurricane Andrew we observed that many woody species produced leaves larger than normal (Koptur et al. 2002). We measured leaves and then simulated hurricane damage by defoliating entire shrubs. Two months later we measured leaves produced subsequent to defoliation and compared their areas to original leaf size. We performed this experiment in the rainy season and in the dry season, using two deciduous and three evergreen species. All species produced smaller leaves in regrowth when defoliated in the wet season; responses to dry season defoliation differed among the species. Our results indicate mere defoliation does not adequately simulate hurricane damage, and that the production of larger than normal leaves after hurricane defoliation may be a response to conditions of extra sunlight, nutrients, and water, with physiological benefits for future photosynthesis, but constrained by water availability, energy storage and phenology of leafing and reproduction of the species.
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Related Links:
http://www.fiu.edu/~kopturs
1 - Florida International University, Deparment of Biological Sciences, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, Florida, 33199, USA
2 - Florida State University, Geography, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
3 - Florida International University, Biological Sciences, Miami, FL, 33199
Keywords:
leaf area
defoliation
recovery
disturbance
hurricane
Caribbean.
Presentation Type: Array
Session: TBA
Location: Williford B/Hilton
Date: Tuesday, July 10th, 2007
Time: 8:15 AM
Number: 002
Abstract ID:1158 |
