The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
In a South African savanna across six tree species, leaf deployment, sap flow, and stem increment phenology show a high temporal overlap despite year-to-year phenology variation.
- Why it matters: Seasonal partitioning of physiological activity in savannas is poorly understood, limiting predictions of how anthropogenic climate change may affect savanna ecosystem functioning.
- What they did: Over three growing seasons, the study tracked leaf deployment, sap flow, and stem increment phenology in six species and compared these patterns to days when soil water potential was sufficient for activity.
- The result: A surprisingly large proportion of sufficiently wet days went unused, and the pattern is consistent with convergent selection for deciduousness while also implying climate may favor evergreen strategies.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.