Archives of Biological Sciences 2016 Volume 68, Issue 4, Pages: 705-713
https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS151111011V
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Small-scale variations in leaf shape under anthropogenic disturbance in dioecious forest forb mercurialis perennis: A geometric morphometric examination
Vujić Vukica (Faculty of Biology, Belgrade)
Rubinjoni Luka (Faculty of Biology, Belgrade)
Selaković Sara (Faculty of Biology, Belgrade)
Cvetković Dragana (Faculty of Biology, Belgrade)
Plants are exposed to increasing levels of diverse human activities that have
profound effects on their overall morphology and, specifically, on leaf
morphology. Anthropogenic disturbances in urban and suburban forest
recreational sites are attracting growing research interest. To explore the
persisting recreational impact on leaf shape and size, we conducted a field
study on the dioecious forb Mercurialis perennis L. (Euphorbiaceae), typical
for undisturbed understory communities. We selected adjacent sites in a
suburban forest, which experience contrasting regimes of disturbance by human
trampling under otherwise concordant natural conditions. Patterns of leaf
shape and size variation and putative sex-specific response to disturbance
were analyzed using a geometric morphometric approach. In addition to
leaf-level data, plant height, internode and leaf number were analyzed to
explore the same response at the whole-plant level. The results show
significant variations associated with disturbance at both levels: plants
growing under a heavy disturbance regime had shorter stems with a greater
number of wider and shorter leaves. Significant differences between sites
were also found for leaf size, with larger leaves observed in an undisturbed
site. The effects of sex and sex x site interaction on leaf size and shape
were nonsignificant, pointing to the absence of sexual dimorphism and
sex-specific response to disturbance. Contrary to leaf shape and size, all
three analyzed shoot traits showed highly significant sexual dimorphism, with
male plants being higher and having higher leaf and internode count.
Keywords: leaf morphology, geometric morphometrics, anthropogenic stress, trampling, sexual dimorphism
Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173025