Contrasting habitat associations and ecophysiological adaptations drive interspecific growth differences among Himalayan high-mountain plants.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Understanding interspecific differences in plant growth rates and their internal and external drivers is key to predicting species responses to ongoing environmental changes. Annual growth rates vary among plants based on their ecological preferences, growth forms, ecophysiological adaptations and evolutionary history. However, the relative importance of these factors remains unclear, particularly in high-mountain ecosystems experiencing rapid changes.

Methods

We examined how habitat associations, elevational optima, growth forms, and ecophysiological and anatomical traits influence interspecific differences in radial growth rates among 324 vascular dicot species naturally occurring in the western Himalayas. Growth rates were determined from annual ring w

SUBMITTER: Chondol T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12259540 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature