A comparison of stomatal traits between contemporary and fossil leaves of Melaleuca quinquenervia: Do they reflect climate variation?

Abstract

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Integrating stomatal physiology and morphology: evolution of stomatal control and development of future crops

“…Species specific SD and SI responses (in both occurrence and extent) to the availability of CO 2 can be assessed by analysis of the number of stomata and epidermal cells in the leaves of historical herbarium specimens collected during the last ~ 250 years as [CO 2 ] has risen from 280 to above 400 μmol mol −1 , [CO 2 ] enrichment studies, and over altitudinal gradients where the partial pressure of CO 2 ( p CO 2 ) varies (but the concentration of CO 2 remains constant, uncoupling the effect of [CO 2 ] from CO 2 -availability) (Woodward 1987 ; Woodward and Bazzaz 1988 ; Beerling and Chaloner 1993b ; Kürschner et al 1997 , 2008 ; Kouwenberg et al 2003 ; Haworth et al 2010 ; Lammertsma et al 2011 ; Hu et al 2019 ). However, the SD and SI response to [CO 2 ] varies between species in the occurrence of any relationship (some plant groups such as the cycads do not alter SD or SI to [CO 2 ] and are known as ‘SD non-responders’: Haworth et al 2011c ), the extent of the SD or SI response and the [CO 2 ] range over which SD or SI responds (Beerling and Chaloner 1993a ; Kürschner et al 1996 ; Kürschner 1997 ; Haworth et al 2013 ; Hu et al 2015 ; Hill et al 2019 ). For example, many angiosperms alter SD and SI to [CO 2 ] below 400 μmol mol −1 , but reach a ‘ceiling of response’ at [CO 2 ] levels above current ambient (Kürschner et al 1996 ; Kürschner 1997 ).…”

Reflections on the Use of Ecological Attributes and Traits in Quaternary Botany

“…A recent study in eastern Australia (Hill et al, 2019) on leaves of Malaleuca quinquenervia did not find any relationship between stomatal density or index and CO 2 concentration, temperature, or rainfall. Hill et al (2019) concluded that stomatal numbers are a highly plastic "trait" in this flood-plain and lakeside tree and that stomatal changes may not reflect functional changes in the leaves.…”