Data from: Leaf photosynthetic, economics and hydraulic traits are decoupled among genotypes of a widespread species of eucalypt grown under ambient and elevated CO2

Leaf economics and hydraulic traits strongly influence photosynthesis.
While the level of coordination among these traits can differ between sets
of species, leaf functional trait coordination within species remains
poorly understood. Furthermore, elevated concentrations of atmospheric CO2
commonly influence the expression of leaf photosynthetic, economics and
hydraulic traits in contrasting ways, yet the effect of variable
concentrations of atmospheric CO2 on patterns of trait coordination within
species remains largely untested. We examined the relationships among key
leaf photosynthetic (e.g. net photosynthesis and photosynthetic
biochemistry), economics and water-use (e.g. leaf mass per unit area and
stomatal conductance) and hydraulic traits (e.g. vein density) in 14
genotypes of Eucalyptus camaldulensis grown in ambient (aCO2) and elevated
(eCO2) [CO2]. We examined the level of coordination among leaf traits in
aCO2 and then assessed whether growth in eCO2 altered that coordination.
We found that leaf traits related to photosynthetic capacity, economics
and water-use, and hydraulics were decoupled among genotypes grown in
aCO2, yet strong relationships were generally observed among suites of
traits within each ‘functional group’. Significant responses to growth in
eCO2 were observed for most leaf photosynthetic and economics and
water-use traits, with the magnitude and direction of the response varying
among traits. In contrast, leaf hydraulics traits were unaffected by
variable growth CO2. Despite this, growth in eCO2 did not substantially
alter patterns of leaf trait coordination observed in aCO2. These results
suggest suites of leaf traits associated with photosynthetic capacity,
economics and water-use and hydraulics, respectively, can form independent
axes of variation among genotypes of a single species, regardless of
growth CO2. Although growth in eCO2 did not substantially alter patterns
of trait coordination, decoupling of leaf functional traits among
genotypes may allow genetically distinct populations to produce novel
combinations of traits that may be adaptive in response to changes in
their local environment.