Habitat‐related variation in tree leaf form in four tropical forest types on Pulau Ubin, Singapore

Sun leaves from 37 species of tree and shrub were collected in four forest types on Pulau Ubin, Singapore. Evidence of habitat‐related variation in the form of leaves is presented. The species were from the habitats: mangrove, beach forest, adinandra belukar (secondary forest on degraded soils) and secondary forest on undegraded soils. The mangrove forest species sampled had thicker leaves with a lower specific leaf area than the beach forest species. Leaves of species from the adinandra belukar were thicker and smaller, with more dry weight per unit area, than those of pioneers from undegraded sites. This is interpreted as oligotrophic xeromorphy in adinandra belukar.