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Subtropical to boreal convergence of tree-leaf temperatures

Author

Listed:
  • Brent R. Helliker

    (Department of Biology,)

  • Suzanna L. Richter

    (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA)

Abstract

Some plants like it hot Plants don't have the mechanisms developed by warm-blooded animals to maintain their temperature, so it was natural to assume that leaves do their photosynthetic work at ambient temperature. Not so, according to a study of tree-canopy leaf temperatures in 39 tree species as determined from 18O/16O ratios of wood cellulose, a measure of temperature and humidity during carbon assimilation. Surprisingly, leaf temperatures are virtually constant across all of the sites sampled. During periods when plants assimilate carbon, the temperature in the leaves is about 21.4 °C, whether the leaf is in the subtropics or the polar regions. One implication is that leaf temperature may be a factor in determining the distribution of tree species, since branches developed to raise temperatures in a cool environment may prove a handicap as ambient temperatures increase.

Suggested Citation

  • Brent R. Helliker & Suzanna L. Richter, 2008. "Subtropical to boreal convergence of tree-leaf temperatures," Nature, Nature, vol. 454(7203), pages 511-514, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:454:y:2008:i:7203:d:10.1038_nature07031
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07031
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Jinzhao & Wu, Huawu & Cheng, Yao & Jin, Zhao & Hu, Jing, 2021. "Stable isotope analysis of soil and plant water in a pair of natural grassland and understory of planted forestland on the Chinese Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    2. Zhiqiang Wang & Heng Huang & Han Wang & Josep Peñuelas & Jordi Sardans & Ülo Niinemets & Karl J. Niklas & Yan Li & Jiangbo Xie & Ian J. Wright, 2022. "Leaf water content contributes to global leaf trait relationships," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Gan Huang & Jingyuan Xu & Christos N. Markides, 2023. "High-efficiency bio-inspired hybrid multi-generation photovoltaic leaf," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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