Specific leaf area

Specific leaf area (SLA) is the ratio of leaf area to leaf dry mass.. The inverse of SLA is Leaf Mass per Area (LMA). Specific leaf area is a ratio indicating how much leaf area a plant builds with a given amount of leaf biomass:Normal ranges of SLA and LMA are species-dependent and influenced by growth environment. Table 1 gives normal ranges (~10th and ~90th percentiles) for species growing in the field, for well-illuminated leaves. Aquatic plants generally have very low LMA values, with particularly low numbers reported for species such as Myriophyllum farwelli (2.8 g.m-2) and Potamogeton perfoliatus (3.9 g. m-2). Evergreen shrubs and Gymnosperm trees as well as succulents have particularly high LMA values, with highest values reported for Aloe saponaria (2010 g.m-2) and Agave deserti (2900 g.m-2). speciesspeciesSpecific leaf area can be used to estimate the reproductive strategy of a particular plant based upon light and moisture (humidity) levels, among other factors. Specific leaf area is one of the most widely accepted key leaf characteristics used during the study of leaf traits.Drought and water stress have varying effects on specific leaf area. In a variety of species, drought decreases specific leaf area. For example, under drought conditions, leaves were, on average, smaller than leaves on control plants. This is a logical observation, as a relative decrease in surface area would mean that there would be fewer ways for water to be lost. Species with typically low specific leaf area values are geared for the conservation of acquired resources, due to their large dry matter content, high concentrations of cell walls and secondary metabolites, and high leaf and root longevity.