Soil water-holding capacity does not mediate aridity effects on plant functional traits in Iberian dune ecosystems.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Aridity drives plant adaptations such as reduced stature, sclerophyllous leaves and increased phenolic production. While these patterns are well documented, the role of soil properties in modulating the impact of aridity remains understudied. Trait responses may also vary - converging, diverging, or remaining uncorrelated - across intraspecific and community levels, adding complexity to predictions of ecological responses to arid conditions.

Methods

We investigated how aridity influences six plant functional traits - lateral spread, maximum height, leaf area, specific leaf area (SLA), and the concentrations of total phenolics and flavonoids - at both the species level (focusing on Helichrysum italicum, the dominant species across the surveyed sites) and t

SUBMITTER: Moreira X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12718070 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature