Abstract Detail

Ecology

Martínez Velarde, María Fernanda [1], Calvillo-Canadell, Laura [2].

Morphological variation in leaves of Mexican Guatteria amplifolia (Annonaceae).

The functional significance of leaf shape variation between different taxonomic groups has been a subject of debate for years, resulting in a wide array of study approaches regarding this organ. Geometric morphometrics is a quantitative technique that enables the analysis of the shape and variation of leaves, regardless of the size of the structure, through multivariate statistical methods. Guatteria amplifolia belongs to the Annonaceae family and it is distributed in the area comprised between the South of Mexico and the South of Panama. Intraspecific variation is present particularly in the leaf shape. The purpose of this study was to analyze the variation in the leaf shape of Mexican populations of G. amplifolia, to identify possible associations with environmental variables. Collection data and digital photographs were taken from different herbaria. A morphometric study with 6 distances and a configuration of 3 landmarks and 58 semilandmarks was done using photographs of the leaves; the distances were analyzed with the Past V.3.0. software and the configuration was processed in different packages of the series IMP8 for geometric morphometrics. A Kruskal-Wallis test showed that the apex and base angles present significant differences in all the analyzed environmental variables. The environmental variables that are related to the availability of water had a higher significance index than the rest. The first two PCA components with the geometric morphometrics data explain 72.9% of the leaf variation; the thin plate splines show that the areas with the greatest morphological variation are the apex and the base. The CVA grouped each of the environmental variables, but a MANOVA test was not significantly different for vegetation type. The thin plate splines of the CVA also indicate that apex and base are the areas with the greatest morphological variation. In conclusion, the leaves of G. amplifolia display a correlation between the shape, size, and environmental variables associated with water availability. The lamina size is smaller, and the apex and base morphology is straighter under conditions of less humidity, little precipitation, temperatures near their distribution limits and soils with better filtration. An increase in size and a more acuminated apex is seen in environments with greater water availability.

1 - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biología, Cto. Zona Deportiva S/N, C.U., Mexico City, 04510, México
2 - Instituto De Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México, Botany, 3er Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán., Ciudad De México, DIF, 04510, Mexico

Keywords:
Annonaceae
morphology
Geometrics morphometrics
Mexico
leaves
Guatteria.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: ECO9, Ecology: Species Ranges and Distributions
Location: /
Date: Friday, July 23rd, 2021
Time: 3:45 PM(EDT)
Number: ECO9004
Abstract ID:1004
Candidate for Awards:None