Decoupled scaling relationship between bamboo individual size and leaf morphological characteristics.

backgroundThe relationship between plant individual size and leaf morphology is a fascinating and active area of research in plant functional ecology. However, there is limited information on the scaling relationships between leaf morphology and height or culm diameter in bamboo species. In the present study, we collected data on maximum height (H), maximum culm diameter (D), maximum leaf length (L), maximum leaf width (W), and the width-to-length ratio (W/L) from 469 bamboo species representing 35 genera across China. Using allometric scaling theory, we examined how bamboo individual size influences leaf morphological characteristics.

resultsOur results revealed that H, D, L, W, and W/L among different bamboo species showed a right-skewed distribution, indicating that most species were concentrated at smaller size classes with a few large-sized species. Notably, we found significant allometric relationships in H versus D, L vs. W, with scaling exponents (α) of 0.82 and 0.69, respectively, across the 469 species, and 0.90 and 0.69, respectively, across the 35 genera. Although significant but weak allometric scaling relationships were observed between plant individual size (H and D) and leaf morphological traits (L and W) across bamboo species, no significant allometric scaling relationships were found between H and L or W, nor between D and L or W, at the genus level.

conclusionsOur findings suggest that the allometric scaling relationships between bamboo individual size and leaf morphology are independent, indicating that bamboos show decoupled trade-offs in culm and leaf resource acquisition strategies.