Final Remarks

Abstract

The content of this book confirms that the micro-climatic gradient in a tropical forest not only affects the inner leaf structure, but also leaf surface area and leaf morphology. The contribution by Rollet confirms the statements of Roth (1984) and Roth and Merida (1971) that the length/width ratio of leaves decreases from the undergrowth towards the canopy, leaves becoming less elongated and less lanceolate but shorter and broader. Drip tips prevail in the undergrowth becoming scarcer towards the canopy. Within the saplings only 2.5/10 are without drip-tips, the proportion changes to 4/10 between 5 m and 20 m height, and to 5/10 above 20 m. Furthermore, the mean length of drip-tips decreases with the increasing height of the trees. Particularly, trees above 20 m in height show a sudden drop in drip-tip length. Another phenomenon is that leaf size changes during the lifetime of plants.