Leaf Mass per Area (LMA) and Its Relationship with Leaf Structure and Anatomy in 34 Mediterranean Woody Species along a Water Availability Gradient

Leaf mass per area (LMA) is a morphological trait widely used as a good indicator of plant functioning (i.e. photosynthetic and respiratory rates, chemical composition, resistance to herbivory, etc.). The LMA can be broken down into the leaf density (LD) and leaf volume to area ratio (LVA or thickness), which in turn are determined by anatomical tissues and chemical composition. The aim of this study is to understand the anatomical and chemical characteristics related to LMA variation in species growing in the field along a water availability gradient. We determined LMA and its components (LD, LVA and anatomical tissues) for 34 Mediterranean (20 evergreen and 14 deciduous) woody species. Variation in LMA was due to variation in both LD and LVA. For both deciduous and evergreen species LVA variation was strongly and positively related with mesophyll volume per area (VA or thickness), but for evergreen species positive relationships of LVA with the VA of epidermis, vascular plus sclerenchyma tissues and air spaces were found as well. The leaf carbon concentration was positively related with mesophyll VA in deciduous species, and with VA of vascular plus sclerenchymatic tissues in evergreens. Species occurring at the sites with lower water availability were generally characterised by a high LMA and LD.

Exploring variation in leaf mass per area (LMA) from leaf to cell: an anatomical analysis of 26 woody species

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

Plant species differ widely in the leaf biomass invested per unit area (LMA). LMA can be explained by variation in leaf thickness and/or density, both of which are influenced by anatomical tissue composition. The aim of this study is to quantify the anatomical characteristics that underlie variation in LMA in a range of woody species. •

METHODS

Twenty-six woody species, forming 13 species pairs with a deciduous and evergreen species from the same genus or family, were grown in a glasshouse. The youngest full-grown leaves were analyzed for LMA and morpho-anatomical characteristics at leaf, tissue, and cell level. •

KEY RESULTS

Considered over all species studied, leaf thickness and density were equally important to explain the variation in LMA, but the class difference between deciduous and evergreen species was mainly determined by thickness, whereas variation within each group was largely due to density. Evergreens had thicker leaves, predominantly caused by a larger volume of mesophyll and air spaces, whereas the higher leaf density within each group was due to a lower proportion of epidermis and air spaces, and overall smaller cells. •

CONCLUSIONS

The anatomical basis for variation in LMA in woody species depends on the contrast made. Higher LMA in evergreens is mainly due to a greater leaf thickness, caused by a larger volume of mesophyll and air spaces. Within deciduous species and evergreens, higher LMA is caused by a higher density, due to higher volumetric fractions of mesophyll and lower fractions of air spaces and epidermis.

Comparison of continuous subcritical water extraction and hydrodistillation of marjoram essential oil

Continuous subcritical water extraction (CSWE) and hydrodistillation were compared for the extraction of essential oil from marjoram leaves. Ground marjoram leaves (0.4 g) were subjected to dynamic extraction with water at 50 bar, 150 degrees C and 2 ml/min for 15 min. Hydrodistillation was performed treating 140 g of marjoram leaves with 1000 ml of water for 3 h. When CSWE was used the compounds were removed from the aqueous extract by a single extraction with 5 ml of hexane, detected by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and identified by mass spectrometry, electronic impact. The CSWE method is quicker (15 min versus 3 h), provides a more valuable essential oil (with higher amounts of oxygenated compounds and no significant presence of terpenes) and allows substantial savings of costs, in terms both of energy and plant material. The efficiency (in terms of volume of essential oil/1 g of plant) of CSWE is 5.1 times higher than that provided by hydrodistillation. The precision of the overall method (CSWE combined with GC-FID) is good (RSD less than 7.5%) for n = 5.