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AOBPreview published online on June 12, 2003
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcg123
© 2003 by Annals of Botany Company
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Submitted on September 23, 2002
Revised on December 17, 2002
Accepted on April 13, 2003

Relationship between Maximum Leaf Photosynthesis, Nitrogen Content and Specific Leaf Area in Balearic Endemic and Non-endemic Mediterranean Species

JAVIER GULÍAS1, JAUME FLEXAS1*, MAURICI MUS1, JOSEP CIFRE1, ELKADRI LEFI1, and HIPÓLITO MEDRANO1

Affiliation of the authors: 1 Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Carretera de Valldemossa, Km 7·5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jaume.flexas{at}uib.es.

Gas exchange parameters, leaf nitrogen content and specific leaf area (SLA) were measured in situ on 73 C3 and five C4 plant species in Mallorca, west Mediterranean, to test whether species endemic to the Balearic Islands differed from widespread, non-endemic Mediterranean species and crops in their leaf traits and trait inter-relationships. Endemic species differed significantly from widespread species and crops in several parameters; in particular, photosynthetic capacity, on an area basis (A), was 20 % less in endemics than in non-endemics. Similar differences between endemics and non-endemics were found in parameters such as SLA and leaf nitrogen content per area (Na). Nevertheless, most of the observed differences were found only within the herbaceous deciduous species. These could be due to the fact that most of the non-endemic species within this group have adapted to ruderal areas, while none of the endemics occupies this kind of habitat. All the species--including the crops--showed a positive, highly significant correlation between photosynthetic capacity on a mass basis (Am), leaf nitrogen content on a mass basis (Nm) and SLA. However, endemic species had a lower Am for any given SLA and Nm. Hypotheses are presented to explain these differences, and their possible role in reducing the distribution of many endemic Balearic species is discussed.
Key words: Balearic endemic species, leaf nitrogen content, Mediterranean climate, photosynthesis, specific leaf area.


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