• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 1994

Leaf diffusive resistance (LDR), stomatal density, length of guard cell and hair density of leaves of 6 oak species were determined under withdrawal of water, and their strategies of drought stress were analyzed by principal component analysis. LDR of Quercus acutissima, Q. aliena and Q. serrata increased earlier than those of the other species at high leaf water potential $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ or low water saturation deficit (WSD), which was an avoidance mechanism reducing damage by water stress. Q. variabilis with low stomatal density, small stomatal size and high hair density had avoidance mechanisms increasing LDR at high $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ However, Q. mongolica and Q. dentata increased LDR at low $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ as xeric species do. Results from principal component analysis on the 15 variables related to strategies of drought stress indicated that the 6 oak species were divided into 2 groups: (1) Q. acutissima, Q. aliena and Q. serrata as mesic habitat species and (2) Q. variabilis, Q. mongolica and Q. dentata as xeric habitat species. Among three xeric species Q. acutissima differed from the other two species in the drought strategies such as high hair density, low stornatal density, high leaf area ratio, stomatal closing at low $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ and small cell wall elasticity. The results could reasonably explain their drought strategies in natural habitat.