Altitude on Effect of Leaf Characters and Allometric Scaling of Phyllostachys edulis

Phyllostachys edulis is an excellent bamboo species for shoot and timber production. In order to reveal the effect of altitude on the leaf characters and allometric scaling of Ph. edulis, and to provide a theoretical reference for efficient management of bamboo forests, the main leaf characters and allometric scaling of 1-3 age-class Ph.edulis leaves at three elevations, i.e., low altitude (230±10)m, middle altitude (570±10)m and high altitude (870±10)m, were measured and analyzed. The results showed that the leaf length, width, area, thickness and dry weight of Ph. edulis increased with the increase of age or altitude. With the increase of bamboo age, the specific leaf area decreased at the same altitude, while the A_F values of leaf width and leaf area at high altitude increased at first and then decreased. The specific leaf area decreased with the increase of altitude, in which the specific leaf area of 2-3 age-class bamboos at low altitude was significantly higher than that at middle and high altitude, the leaf width A_F of 2 age-class standing bamboo increased significantly, and the difference between low and high elevations was significant. The leaf area A_F of 3 age-class standing bamboo decreased at first and then increased, and at the middle altitude it was significantly lower than that at the low and high elevations. There was an allometric scaling among leaf length, leaf width and leaf area at different altitude. With the increase of altitude, the slope of leaf length-leaf area decreased at first and then increased, and there were significant differences among different elevations. Leaf width-leaf area and leaf width-leaf length have a common slope, and their intercept generally increased with the increase of altitude. The results showed that altitude had a significant effect on the leaf characters and allometric scaling relationship of Ph. edulis. With the increase of altitude, the leaf showed a trend of enlargement and thickening, and the leaf length was sensitive to the change of altitude, but the ratio of leaf length to width changed little, and the leaf morphology was relatively stable. At middle altitude, Ph. edulis forest had relatively large leaf length, leaf width and leaf area, as well as relatively high production potential, so it is a suitable altitude for Ph. edulis forest cultivation.