Foliar morphological variation in the white oak Quercus rugosa Née (Fagaceae) along a latitudinal gradient in Mexico: Potential implications for management and conservation |
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Authors: | Dolores Uribe-Salas,Cuauhté moc Sá enz-Romero,Antonio Gonzá lez-Rodrí guez,Oswaldo Té llez-Valdé z,Ken Oyama |
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Affiliation: | 1. Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Antigua carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, col. ExHacienda de San José de la Huerta, Morelia, C.P. 58190, Michoacán, Mexico;2. Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km. 9.5 Carr, Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Tarímbaro, C.P. 58880, Michoacán, Mexico;3. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Av. De los Barrios 1, col. Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, C.P. 54090, Estado de México, Mexico |
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Abstract: | Quercus rugosa Nee (section Quercus) has a distribution from the southern United States to Honduras. This study characterized leaf variation across the whole distribution of the species in Mexico. Ten foliar morphometric characters were scored in each of 241 individuals from 25 localities. A principal component analysis resolved four principal components (PCs) that explained 76.4% of the total variation. A nested analysis of variance revealed significant differences among populations (29.2% average contribution to total variance for the four PCs) and among-trees within populations (39.2%), while 31.6% was due to intra-individual variation. For the first PC (related to leaf size), 52.1% resulted from among population differences. This variation was negatively correlated with latitude (r = −0.86; P < 0.0001), indicating a steep clinal reduction in leaf size from south to north. Mean annual precipitation and an annual aridity index also significantly decreased and increased with latitude, respectively. It is suggested that the morphological cline is the result of plastic and/or adaptive responses to environmental conditions, and indicative of further ecophysiological latitudinal differences among Q. rugosa populations. Additionally, we estimated the magnitude of the least significant difference among populations for the first PC and translated it into a delineation of six latitudinal zones (each with a width of 2°30′), to be considered as preliminary zones for the movement of Q. rugosa seeds with management and conservation purposes, including management in response to global warming. |
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Keywords: | Quercus rugosa Foliar morphological variation Leaf size Phenotypic cline Annual moisture index Seed zoning |
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