Montane forest tree species have lower hydraulic efficiency and vulnerability than lowland forest species in the Atlantic Forest

Abstract

The adaptations of plants to different environments are closely related to their wood anatomical traits. This study investigated the wood anatomy of a montane forest community and compared it with anatomical data from three other areas in the Atlantic Forest biome (montane and lowland forest). Samples from 23 montane forest species were processed and analyzed according to standard wood anatomy techniques. Quantitative xylem traits were measured and conductivity parameters were calculated. Wood anatomical data for 76 species from other areas were obtained from previous studies and incorporated into the analyses. Shared wood features indicated ecological trends related to the forest formations. Species of the sampled montane forest were discriminated into groups based on their qualitative and quantitative features, especially those related to ray and xylem conduction traits. Hydraulic traits were also important for distinguishing forest communities along the altitudinal gradient. The montane forest communities had lower conductivity and higher hydraulic safety than the lowland forest community. Apart from these differences, all the studied communities are in the Atlantic Forest biome and present traits related to high hydraulic efficiency and vulnerability, as expected for this tropical region.