Leaf anatomy of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (Leguminosae): ecological interpretations based on different soil conditions in the Cerrado

Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae) is a tree known as copaíba that is widely distributed in Brazil. The present paper discusses, from an ecological perspective, leaf structural changes in populations of copaíba found growing in three different substrates in the Cerrado: alluvial neosoil on riverbanks, sandstone and red latosol in savanna. Qualitative and quantitative leaf traits were observed from permanent histological preparations. Statistically significant differences were observed in all of the ecological parameters analyzed, such as specific leaf area, tissue thickness and stomatal density. A higher proportion of scleromorphic features was found in plants growing on the sandstone and alluvial neosoil, although the latosol was also low in exchangeable bases. The structural changes observed were the result of the combination of soil factors, water, microclimate and plant/herbivore interaction related to each substrate; it was clear that soil nutrients had more influence on these changes than water availability.