Plant functional traits are correlated with species persistence in the herb layer of old-growth beech forests.

ABSTRACT: This paper explores which traits are correlated with fine-scale (0.25 m²) species persistence patterns in the herb layer of old-growth forests. Four old-growth beech forests representing different climatic contexts (presence or absence of summer drought period) were selected along a north-south gradient in Italy. Eight surveys were conducted in each of the sites during the period spanning 1999-2011. We found that fine-scale species persistence was correlated with different sets of plant functional traits, depending on local ecological context. Seed mass was found to be as important for the fine-scale species persistence in the northern sites, while clonal and bud-bank traits were markedly correlated with the southern sites characterised by summer drought. Leaf traits appeared to

SUBMITTER: Campetella G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7648635 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature