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Canonical rules for plant organ biomass partitioning and annual allocation
Here we review a general allometric model for the allometric relationships among standing leaf, stem, and root biomass (ML, MS, and MR, respectively) and the exponents for the relationships among annual leaf, stem, and root biomass production or "growth rates" (GL, GS, and GR, respectively...
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Published in: | American journal of botany 2002-05, Vol.89 (5), p.812-819 |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Here we review a general allometric model for the allometric relationships among standing leaf, stem, and root biomass (ML, MS, and MR, respectively) and the exponents for the relationships among annual leaf, stem, and root biomass production or "growth rates" (GL, GS, and GR, respectively). This model predicts that$M_L \propto M_S^{3/4} \propto M_R^{3/4}$such that$M_S \propto M_R$and that$G_L \propto G_S \propto G_R$. A large synoptic data set for standing plant organ biomass and organ biomass production spanning ten orders of magnitude in total plant body mass supports these predictions. Although the numerical values for the allometric "constants" governing these scaling relationships differ between angiosperms and conifers, across all species, standing leaf, stem, and root biomass, respectively, comprise 8%, 67%, and 25% of total plant biomass, whereas annual leaf, stem, and root biomass growth represent 30%, 57%, and 13% of total plant growth. Importantly, our analyses of large data sets confirm the existence of scaling exponents predicted by theory. These scaling "rules" emerge from simple biophysical mechanisms that hold across a remarkably broad spectrum of ecologically and phyletically divergent herbaceous and tree-sized monocot, dicot, and conifer species. As such, they are likely to extend into evolutionary history when tracheophytes with the stereotypical "leaf," "stem," and "root" body plan first appeared. |
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ISSN: | 0002-9122 1537-2197 |
DOI: | 10.3732/ajb.89.5.812 |