Weak whole-plant trait coordination in a seasonally dry South American stressful environment.

ABSTRACT: A core question involving both plant physiology and community ecology is whether traits from different organs are coordinated across species, beyond pairwise trait correlations. The strength of within-community trait coordination has been hypothesized to increase along gradients of environmental harshness, due to the cost of adopting ecological strategies out of the viable niche space supported by the abiotic conditions. We evaluated the strength of trait relationship and coordination in a stressful environment using 21 leaf and stem traits of 21 deciduous and evergreen woody species from a heath vegetation growing on coastal sandy plain in northeastern South America. The study region faces marked dry season, high soil salinity and acidity, and poor nutritional conditions. Results from mul

SUBMITTER: Silva JLA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5756860 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature