A plant economics spectrum of litter decomposition among coexisting fern species in a sub-tropical forest.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The plant economics spectrum theory provides a useful framework to examine plant strategies by integrating the co-ordination of plant functional traits along a resource acquisition-conservation trade-off axis. Empirical evidence for this theory has been widely observed for seed plants (Spermatophyta). However, whether this theory can be applied to ferns (Pteridophyta), a ubiquitous and ancient group of vascular plants, has rarely been evaluated so far.

Methods

We measured 11 pairs of plant functional traits on leaves and fine roots (diameter <2 mm) on 12 coexisting fern species in a sub-tropical forest. Litterbags of leaves and roots were placed in situ and exposed for 586 d to measure decomposition rates. The variation of traits across species and the co

SUBMITTER: Lin D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7080221 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature