PADRÕES ANATÔMICO FOLIARES DE ESPÉCIES DE ASTERACEAE Bercht. & J.Presl EM FLORESTAS DE MONTANHA
Anatomia vegetal, Asteraceae, Altitude, Ecologia vegetal
Many studies have been conducted on adaptive strategies focused on plant biochemical and physiological responses over the past two decades. However, the knowledge of anatomical plasticity traits is likewise indispensable for predicting the fate of natural ecosystems in the face of long-term climatic changes (Saima et al., 2021). Hunter (2015) acknowledges altitude gradients influence morphoanatomical features due to changes in light intensity (radiation exposure), temperature, rainfall, nutrient availability, wind, humidity, and soil chemistry. That is because, with an increase in altitude gradient, the climate changes and those changes can impact plants, altering their morphology, size, and proportions. Although the plant’s anatomical traits are under genetic control and are susceptible to environmental pressure, Bensson et al. (2010) reveal significant phenotypic plasticity in leaf functional traits in response to altitudinal changes. Along the altitude gradient, various plant structural modifications occur in different environments, from hydrophytes to xerophytes (Judd et al., 2009; Saima et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2020). This rich diversity in environmental conditions and plant traits is favourable to researchers to set experiments and understand what responses global changes can drive in plants, once those traits can reflect on survival fitness (Saima et al., 2021)