Intra- and interspecific trait variations reveal functional relationships between specific leaf area and soil niche within a subtropical forest.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

How functional traits vary with environmental conditions is of fundamental importance in trait-based community ecology. However, how intraspecific variability in functional traits is connected to species distribution is not well understood. This study investigated inter- and intraspecific variation of a key functional trait, i.e. specific leaf area (leaf area per unit dry mass; SLA), in relation to soil factors and tested if trait variation is more closely associated with specific environmental regimes for low-variability species than for high-variability species.

Methods

In a subtropical evergreen forest plot (50 ha, southern China), 106 700 leaves from 5335 individuals of 207 woody species were intensively collected, with 30 individuals sampled for most

SUBMITTER: He D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5946913 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature