About this Research Topic
Leaves are the primary photosynthetic organs of all land plants. Their functional traits drive the dynamics of all terrestrial ecosystems. Prior studies indicate numerous functional traits (e.g., leaf mass, area, venation, and stomatal conductance) correlate with one another according to predictable scaling relationships. Yet, a mechanistic explanation for this phenomenology remains elusive, despite numerous empirical and theoretical approaches.
The goal of this Research Topic is to bring together diverse perspectives, using both empirical and theoretical approaches, to gain ecological and evolutionary insights into the scaling of leaf functional traits.
The scope of this Research Topic spans all aspects of scaling theory and practice that apply to our understanding leaf physiological, morphometric, ecological, and evolutionary functional traits. These include (but are not limited to):
- understanding the ecological and evolutionary implications of leaf area, mass, perimeter, and shape relationships;
- whether and how scaling relationships differ among functional species-groups and biomes;
- how global climate change affects leaf functional traits.
The goal of this Research Topic is to bring together diverse perspectives, using both empirical and theoretical approaches, to gain ecological and evolutionary insights into the scaling of leaf functional traits.
The scope of this Research Topic spans all aspects of scaling theory and practice that apply to our understanding leaf physiological, morphometric, ecological, and evolutionary functional traits. These include (but are not limited to):
- understanding the ecological and evolutionary implications of leaf area, mass, perimeter, and shape relationships;
- whether and how scaling relationships differ among functional species-groups and biomes;
- how global climate change affects leaf functional traits.
Keywords: Functional traits Plants Scaling theory
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
