Leaf shape variations and developmental instability were examined for the first time in natural populations of Prunus avium (L.) L. in the central Balkan region (Bosnia and Herzegovina) at different elevational points, from 230 to 1177 m. above sea level. Geometric morphometric tools were applied to assess the variability of leaf shapes and sizes, while a fluctuating asymmetry leaf index was used as a measure of leaf developmental instability. According to the results of canonical variate analysis for the symmetric component of shape variation and hierarchical analysis of variance for centroid size, the studied populations could be partially differentiated into three groups. The co-variation between leaf form (shape and size) and climate variables was significant, estimated by two-block partial least square analysis. Climate variables (the sum of precipitation in May and the De Martonne aridity index) mostly influenced leaf shape and size. A population situated at the highest elevation had the highest value for fluctuating asymmetry leaf index, which was an indication of developmental instability. High natural variability and interpopulation differences were observed for all studied leaf traits (leaf shape, centroid size, fluctuating asymmetry leaf index, leaf area, leaf length and width, petiole length). For well-known traditional morphometric measures (leaf area, leaf length, leaf width, and petiole length) in accordance with previous studies, intrapopulation variability was greater than interpopulation variability. For centroid size and the fluctuating asymmetry leaf index (measures used in geometric morphometrics) variability was higher among populations than within them. This indicates that geometric morphometrics could give new insights into infra-specific variability.

中文翻译：

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不同海拔高度自然种群的野樱桃（Prunus avium（L.）L.）叶形状和大小变化

首次检查了天然樱桃李种群的叶片形状变化和发育不稳定性（L.）L.在巴尔干中部地区（波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那）的不同海拔，范围为230至1177 m。高于海平面。应用几何形态计量学工具评估叶片形状和大小的变异性，同时使用波动的不对称叶片指数来衡量叶片发育不稳定性。根据形状变异的对称分量的标准变量分析结果和质心大小的方差分层分析结果，可以将研究人群部分分为三类。叶形（形状和大小）与气候变量之间的协方差很显着，通过两块偏最小二乘分析估计。气候变量（5月的降水量之和与德马通干旱指数）主要影响叶片的形状和大小。海拔最高的种群的不对称叶片指数波动值最高，这表明发育不稳定。对于所有研究的叶片性状（叶片形状，质心大小，不对称叶片指数波动，叶片面积，叶片长度和宽度，叶柄长度），均观察到高自然变异性和种群间差异。根据先前的研究，对于众所周知的传统形态学测量（叶面积，叶长，叶宽和叶柄长），种群内变异大于种群间变异。对于质心大小和波动的不对称叶指数（几何形态计量学中使用的度量），群体之间的变异性高于群体内部。这表明几何形态计量学可以为特定红外下的可变性提供新的见解。