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Abstract
Leaf heteroblasty, or pronounced changes in leaf morphology during plant development, is a conspicuous phenomenon on many isolated islands. However, morphological comparisons have not been made between islands, and the processes responsible for island heteroblasty are poorly understood. We investigated differences in leaf morphology of heteroblastic trees and shrubs in New Caledonia and New Zealand. Heteroblastic leaves were collected in field searches in several comparable habitat types in both countries. Leaf area, lobing, and degree of circularity were measured on juvenile and adult leaves from 31 species belonging to 19 plant families. Multivariate analysis of variance was then used to compare ontogenetic changes in leaf morphology between countries. Results showed that juvenile leaves were smaller and more lobed than adult leaves. Life history stage did not interact with country, indicating that morphological shifts between juvenile and adult leaves did not differ between New Caledonia and New Zealand. We conclude that island heteroblasty is similar in both locales, despite their strongly different climates, and the phenomenon likely results from some aspect of their shared geological history.
