Do leaf lignin content or leaf mass-to-area bias the estimation of intrinsic water use efficiency from leaf bulk δ13C? A test with seedlings from five oak species

Key message

Leaves of seedlings from five oak species (Quercus robur L.; Q. pubescens L.; Q. suber L.; Q. afares Pomel; Q. ilex L.) displayed large, mainly inter-specific, differences in leaf mass-to-area ratio (LMA) and lignin content, as well as in the 13C composition of bulk leaf biomass. The variation in leaf lignin content and LMA did not impact the offset between the 13C composition measured in bulk leaf material versus soluble sugars. This observation, as well as the similar correlations between intrinsic leaf water use efficiency and the 13C compositions of bulk material or soluble sugars extracted from leaves, confirms their reliable use as a proxy for the former even when there is a large variation in LMA or lignin among samples.

Keywords
Leaf mass-to-area ratio (LMA); carbon isotope composition; soluble sugars; oak; Quercus robur; Quercus pubescens; Quercus suber; Quercus afares; Quercus ilex

Publication
Ghouil, H., Richard, B., Montpied, P. et al. Do leaf lignin content or leaf mass-to-area bias the estimation of intrinsic water use efficiency from leaf bulk δ13C? A test with seedlings from five oak species. Annals of Forest Science 81, 29 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-024-01247-6

Data and/or Code availability
The dataset generated and analyzed during the current study is available in the recherche.data.gouv.fr repository: https://doi.org/10.57745/2NDEDA.

Handling Editor
Maurizio Mencuccini