Seedling beef structure of New England maples (Acer) in relation lo light environment

Seedling leaves of the genus Acer from southern New England were compared i n relation to light. The species investigated were red maple (A. rubrum L.) , a species tolerant of xeric and hydric sites; silver maple (A. saccharinu m L.), a species restricted to riparian sites that are periodically flooded ; and sugar maple (A. saccharum Marsh.), a mesic species of lower slopes an d valleys. Germinating seedlings of all species were collected and grown wi thin four shade treatments that had contrasting light quantity and quality: (1) approximately 100% of full sunlight, red:far-red ratio = 1.27; (2) 40% of full sunlight, ratio = 0.97; (3) 15% of full sunlight, ratio = 0.85; an d (4) 4% of full sunlight, ratio = 0.46. Leaves, cuticles, and epidermal an d palisade mesophyll cell layers were all thicker, and stomatal densities w ere higher far all three species in the full sun treatment. Dimensions of l eaf structure (leaf thickness, palisade mesophyll thickness, lower epiderma l thickness) were between 25 and 35% smaller for silver maple as compared t o the other maples, Silver maple also allocated less biomass to roots (abou t 15% less) and more to stems. Its thin upper surface cuticle, thin leaves, and large leaf area predispose this species to desiccation. Phenotypic pla sticity of leaf anatomical measures was greatest for red maple, suggesting it to be more of a generalist than its congeners. Red maple allocated great er biomass to roots in shade (17% and 27% more than sugar and silver maple respectively), with thicker leaves and cuticle, making it least prone to de siccation. Sugar maple had greater dry mass and total leaf: area in the dee pest shade than the other maples. Measures of leaf structure can provide us eful insights into known ecological affinities of site and shade-tolerance among maples.