This working group arose out of Working Group 1: Leaves: size, shape, economics, palaeobiology and evolutionary radiations. Its purpose is to assemble existing datasets about leaf size and to analyse the main patterns in them on a worldwide basis. These datasets include both those collected by palaeobotanists with a view to interpreting fossil leaf floras, and those collected by ecologists of present-day vegetation.

Before the meeting the main datasets were assembled by Liz Law working at Network HQ, approaching 10,000 species when datasets that had leaf size categories were included as well as datasets that had continuous-scale leaf size measurements. At the meeting, a range of data problems were discussed and tackled, including how to associate each observation with climate and possibly soils data.

Following the meeting the dataset is being finalized, and we will then consider how to proceed with analysis and interpretation.

Last updated March 2007.