Eco-physiological variations in three Mediterranean coppices along an altitudinal gradient

Abstract

Water uptake ability and water-use efficiency (WUE) were indirectly measured utilizing hydrogen and carbon stable isotopes on Mediterranean coppices along an altitudinal gradient. Climate data showed a lower spring rainfall regime and a summer water stress to the bottom areas of gradient respects to those placed in the higher areas, with ecophysiological changes on specific leaf area and on carbon isotope discrimination. In the lower areas of altitudinal gradient we suggest that a stagger of carbohydrates during the leaf spam reflects higher water-use efficiency values of trees. In this study, the opposition of isotopic trends with elevation suggests cautions in the comparisons of δ13C values along altitudinals gradients.

Keywords

• Stable Isotopes
• Water-use efficiency
• Forest Ecology
• Altitudinal gradients
• Silvicultural typologies
• Mediterranean coppices.