The effect of nutrient stress on developmental instability in leaves of Acer platanoides (Aceraceae) and Betula pendula (Betulaceae)
Studies of developmental stability can provide insights into the amount of genetic or environmental stress experienced by individuals or populations. In the present study, we used young plants of Acer platanoides (Norway maple) and Betula pendula (silver birch), two distantly related tree species with widely different leaf morphologies, to compare the expression of developmental instability in two