Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Linking Leaf Longevity and Ecosystem Function
In summary and conclusion, there are two aspects of ecosystem studies that poten-
tially can inform a theory for leaf longevity. First, if knowledge of ecosystem func-
tion lets us effectively quantify the carbon costs of acquiring nitrogen and
phosphorus across ecosystems, then we could more explicitly assess the costs and
benefits of acquiring these resources through resorption versus uptake from soil.
Second, if we could effectively quantify the age-dependent risks of leaves for
herbivore or disease damage across ecosystems, then we could better factor this
aspect into the accounting of the carbon costs of leaf construction. In principle, both
avenues hold promise, but in practice neither is likely to soon yield a firm quan-
titative foundation for the test of a refined theory for leaf longevity. That realiza-
tion, however, does not preclude a priori refinement of the theories that qualitatively
explore these relationships at the leaf and whole-plant levels.
