Trait integration and functional differentiation among co-existing plant species.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

Determining which traits characterize strategies of coexisting species is important to developing trait-based models of plant communities. First, global dimensions may not exist locally. Second, the degree to which traits and trait spectra constitute independent dimensions of functional variation at various scales continues to be refined. Finally, traits may be associated with existing categorical groupings.

Methods

We assessed trait integration and differentiation across 57 forest understory plant species in Douglas-fir forests of western Oregon, United States. We combined measurements for a range of traits with literature-based estimates of seed mass and species groupings. We used network analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination (NMS) to determine

SUBMITTER: Burton JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8108537 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature