Abstract
The structure and function of woody Mediterranean vegetation is strongly influenced by the periodical occurrence of a summer dry period. A hierarchy of structural and physiological adjustments (e.g. changes in leaf area, rooting depth, and stomatal opening), each operating at different time scales (from years to minutes) have been shown to be effective mechanisms by which Mediterranean sclerophylls cope with limited water availability during these drought periods (Rambal 1993). In holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) canopies, leaf area index (LAI) varies between approximately 2.5 and 5.5 m2 m-2 depending on long-term site water availability (Table 11.1). Higher LAIs occur in areas with moderate to high annual precipitation, where deep soils with minimal deep drainage ensure high soil water availability (e.g. valley bottom of the Avic catchment; Sala et al. 1994; Table 11.1). Lower LAI values occur in areas where annual precipitation may be high but soil water availability is low due to deep infiltration of water (e.g. limestone substrate) and low soil water retention (e.g. Puéchabon, France; Rambal et al. 1996; Table 11.1). Closely related to changes in leaf area are within-canopy changes in leaf structure and Table 11.1. Leaf area index (LAI) of dense holm oak stands in the Mediterranean Basinfunction, which improve the light environment within the canopy and canopy carbon balance (Sala et al. 1994; Rambal et al. 1996; Sala and Tenhunen 1996; Chap. 9).
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Sala, A. (1999). Modelling Canopy Gas Exchange During Summer Drought. In: Rodà, F., Retana, J., Gracia, C.A., Bellot, J. (eds) Ecology of Mediterranean Evergreen Oak Forests. Ecological Studies, vol 137. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58618-7_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58618-7_11
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