Latitudinal compensation : foliar physiology of narrowleaf cottonwoods from the full latitudinal range

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dc.contributor.authorKaluthota, Sobadini
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorRood, Stewart B.
dc.date.accessioned2014-06-10T20:26:00Z
dc.date.available2014-06-10T20:26:00Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.degree.levelMastersen_US
dc.degree.levelMasters
dc.descriptionix, 91 leaves ; 29 cmen_US
dc.description.abstractFor deciduous trees, the growth season becomes progressively shorter with increasing latitude or elevation. To overcome the challenge of sufficient growth and development within the limited interval, deciduous trees may have adapted with increased physiological capacity. To test this ‘latitudinal compensation’ theory, I investigated the growth, foliar morphology, and some foliar biochemical and gas exchange characteristics of narrowleaf cottonwoods originating from the full range of its distribution. This study was carried out in a common garden at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, near the northern limit of the species’ distribution. Across 167 genotypes from 9 populations representing the full 16º latitudinal range, heights and stem diameters were associated negatively (p<0.1) with the latitude of origin, while foliar morphological characteristics of blade width and leaf mass tended to be positively associated with latitude (p<0.1), and leaf mass per area (LMA) was positively associated (p<0.05). Foliar chlorophyll (chl) and nitrogen (N) content were also significantly associated with latitude, and carbon isotope composition (δ13C) was positively correlated with chl and N. With a more intensive analysis for a subset of three populations from near the southern middle, and northern limits of the distribution, these same patterns were confirmed and additionally, stomatal ratio was higher in the leaves for the northern population. Subsequently, the light-saturated photosynthetic capacity (Amax) was higher in genotypes from the northern population. I conclude that increased foliar morphological and biochemical characteristics of narrowleaf cottonwoods contribute to increased photosynthetic capacity for northern populations, providing evidence for latitudinal compensation in a deciduous tree from the northern hemisphere.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/3451
dc.language.isoen_CAen_US
dc.proquestyesNoen_US
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Biological Sciences, c2013en_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biologyen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en_US
dc.subjectCottonwood -- Alberta -- Lethbridgeen_US
dc.subjectDissertations, Academicen_US
dc.titleLatitudinal compensation : foliar physiology of narrowleaf cottonwoods from the full latitudinal rangeen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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