Nutrient foraging strategies are associated with productivity and population growth in forest shrubs.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Temperate deciduous forest understoreys are experiencing widespread changes in community composition, concurrent with increases in rates of nitrogen supply. These shifts in plant abundance may be driven by interspecific differences in nutrient foraging (i.e. conservative vs. acquisitive strategies) and, thus, adaptation to contemporary nutrient loading conditions. This study sought to determine if interspecific differences in nutrient foraging could help explain patterns of shrub success and decline in eastern North American forests.

Methods

Using plants grown in a common garden, fine root traits associated with nutrient foraging were measured for six shrub species. Traits included the mean and skewness of the root diameter distribution, specific root len

SUBMITTER: Caplan JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5604599 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature