Juvenile Rhus glabra leaves have higher temperatures and lower gas exchange rates than mature leaves when compared in the field during periods of high irradiance

SummaryWe sought to test the hypothesis that stomatal development determines the timing of gas exchange competency, which then influences leaf temperature through transpirationally driven leaf cooling. To test this idea, daily patterns of gas exchange and leaflet temperature were obtained from leaves of two distinctively different developmental stages of smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) grown in its native habitat. Juvenile and mature leaves were also sampled for ultrastructural studies of stomatal development. When plants were sampled in May–June, the hypothesis was supported: juvenile leaflets were (for part of the day) from 1.4 to 6.0 °C warmer than mature leaflets and as much as 2.0 °C above ambient air temperature with lower stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rates than mature leaflets. When measurements were taken from July to October, no significant differences were observed, although mature leaflet gas exchange rates declined to the levels of the juvenile leaves. The gas exchange data were supported by the observations that juvenile leaves had approximately half the number of functional stomata on a leaf surface area basis as did mature leaves. It was concluded that leaf temperature and stage of leaf development in sumac are strongly linked with the higher surface temperatures observed in juvenile leaflets in the early spring possibly being involved in promoting photosynthesis and leaf expansion when air temperatures are cooler.