Abundance and distribution of leaf wax n-alkanes in leaves of acacia and eucalyptus trees along a strong humidity gradient in Northern Australia

Abstract

Environmental parameters such as rainfall, temperature and relative humidity can affect the composition of higher plant leaf wax. The abundance and distribution of leaf wax biomarkers, such as long chain n-alkanes, in sedimentary archives have therefore been proposed as proxies reflecting climate change. However, a robust palaeoclimatic interpretation requires a thorough understanding of how environmental changes affect leaf wax n-alkane distributions in living plants. We have analysed the concentration and chain length distribution of leaf wax n-alkanes in Acacia and Eucalyptus species along a 1500. km climatic gradient in northern Australia that ranges from subtropical to arid. We show tha..