Leaf traits for 11 populations of Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustissima (Sapindaceae) opportunistically collected from across an elevational gradient (300 to 800 m above sea level) in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia. We present leaf traits for 266 individuals. Traits measured include leaf area and specific leaf area, and elevation.
Credit
We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
Purpose
The assessment of leaf area (LA) and specific leaf area (SLA) provides mechanistic insights on the persistence and function of plant species, including their likely success under climate change and their suitability for revegetation. We measured LA and SLA in the perennial shrub Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. subsp. angustissima (narrow-leaf hop-bush) (Sapindaceae) and correlate the variability in those traits to potential environmental drivers. We measured leaves from 11 elevational populations (300 to 800 metres above sea level), where aridity and temperature decrease with elevation. Regression, bootstrapping and principal component analysis related leaf traits to environment. Leaf area is known to be responsive to climatic conditions. This data could be combined with additional collections for Dodonaea viscosa or broader plant trait data sets to explore plant responses to environmental change.