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Amazonian Floodplain Forests pp 179–202Cite as

Morphology and Anatomy of Leaves

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Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 210))

Abstract

Leaves are among the most important organs of a plant, and they are ­indicators of the condition of a tree. Their morphology and anatomy shows adaptations and their functional traits reflect to some extent the constraints of the environments where the plants typically grow. However, despite the big differences in flooding intensity and nutrient availability, leaves of Amazonian floodplain trees are similar in their morphoanatomy and exhibit traits which are generally considered as xeromorph, just as the leaves of upland species. The xeromorphic leaf structure may represent a pre-adaptation resulting from the dry habitats most tree species originate from. It also helps to cope with insufficient water supply to the tree crowns during the aquatic phase which is caused by a decrease of root ­functioning due to ­waterlogging and submergence. The assimilation organs perform perfectly well despite the long periods of waterlogging or complete submergence in darkness. Leaf structure does not reflect the extreme environmental conditions to which trees in Amazonian floodplains are subjected. No patterns could be detected of a relationship of leaf functional traits with flooding intensity and nutrient availability.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Limnology, Plön, Germany

    Danielle Waldhoff (Botanist, from 1990–2005 member of Working Group of Tropical Ecology at Max Planck)

  2. Flottbek Systematik der Pflanzen, University of Hamburg, Biozentrum Klein, Hamburg, Germany

    Pia Parolin

Authors
  1. Danielle Waldhoff
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  2. Pia Parolin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Danielle Waldhoff .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. MPI für Limnologie, August-Thienemann-Str. 2, Plön, 24306, Germany

    Wolfgang J. Junk

  2. Amazonia (INPA), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

    Maria T. F. Piedade

  3. MPI für Chemie, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 27, Mainz, 55128, Germany

    Florian Wittmann

  4. Abt. Chemie der Atmosphäre, MPI für Chemie, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 27, Mainz, 55128, Germany

    Jochen Schöngart

  5. FB Biologie, Biozentrum Klein Flottbek, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, Hamburg, 22609, Germany

    Pia Parolin

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Waldhoff, D., Parolin, P. (2010). Morphology and Anatomy of Leaves. In: Junk, W., Piedade, M., Wittmann, F., Schöngart, J., Parolin, P. (eds) Amazonian Floodplain Forests. Ecological Studies, vol 210. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8725-6_9

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