Premature losses of leaf area in response to drought and insect herbivory through a leaf lifespan gradient

Abstract

Implications of the differences in leaf life span are still subject to debate in the field of ecophysiology. Since leaf traits associated with these differences may be decisive for determining the distribution of tree species, this topic is particularly relevant in the context of climate change. This study analyzes the effects of the differences in leaf life span on premature losses of leaf area owing to insect herbivory and to abiotic stress. Loss of leaf area may be an important determinant of total leaf carbon assimilation. Seven Mediterranean tree species, distributed on four sites with different climates were studied. The species exhibited strong differences in leaf life span and in leaf traits, especially leaf mass per unit area. Premature leaf area losses were estimated in response to insect herbivory and summer drought over two years. The results revealed that, despite having older leaf cohorts with more damage, species with longer leaf duration had lower area lost to herbivores and less damage due to accelerated senescence during the summer drought. With respect to the predicted increase in water stress, deciduous species are at a disadvantage due to their high premature loss of leaf area and thus loss of photosynthetic capacity.