Relating Trait Variation to Species and Community Productivity in Contrasting Oro-Mediterranean Pastures: A 7-Years Study in the Pollino National Park (S-Italy).

ABSTRACT: Understanding how functional traits influence community assemblage and functioning is crucial for assessing the effects of global change on vegetation composition. We studied the functional composition (i.e., plant size (SIZE), leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf dry matter content (LDMC)) of a xerophile pasture and a mesophile grassland in southern Italy, and recorded species richness (SR), plant cover (COV) and flowering rates (FLOW) over a 7-year period. Both communities revealed the dominance of stress-tolerators, probably reflecting an adaptation to the Mediterranean climate. The functional classification of species distinguished three groups. Species from the mesophile community had larger SIZE and LA, while those from the xerophile pasture showed higher LDMC; SLA was

SUBMITTER: Gargano D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9570707 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature