Intraspecific trait variation can weaken interspecific trait correlations when assessing the whole-plant economic spectrum.

ABSTRACT: The worldwide plant economic spectrum hypothesis predicts that leaf, stem, and root traits are correlated across vascular plant species because carbon gain depends on leaves being adequately supplied with water and nutrients, and because construction of each organ involves a trade-off between performance and persistence. Despite its logical and intuitive appeal, this hypothesis has received mixed empirical support. If traits within species diverge in their responses to an environmental gradient, then interspecific trait correlations could be weakened when measured in natural ecosystems. To test this prediction, we measured relative growth rates (RGR) and seven functional traits that have been shown to be related to fluxes of water, nutrients, and carbon across 56 functionally diverse tree

SUBMITTER: Laughlin DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5677476 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature