The world‐wide ‘fast–slow’ plant economics spectrum: a traits manifesto

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 102(2), P. 275 - 301

Published: Feb. 19, 2014

Summary The leaf economics spectrum (LES) provides a useful framework for examining species strategies as shaped by their evolutionary history. However, that spectrum, originally described, involved only two key resources (carbon and nutrients) one of three economically important plant organs. Herein, I evaluate whether the idea can be broadly extended to water – third resource –stems, roots entire plants individual, community ecosystem scales. My overarching hypothesis is strong selection along trait trade‐off axes, in tandem with biophysical constraints, results convergence any taxon on uniformly fast, medium or slow strategy (i.e. rates acquisition processing) all organs resources. Evidence economic spectra exists stems well leaves, traits related carbon nutrients. These apply generally within across scales (within communities, climate zones, biomes lineages). There are linkages coupling among resources, resulting an integrated whole‐plant spectrum. Species capable moving rapidly have low tissue density, short life span high flux at organ individual reverse true strategy. Different may different conditions, but being fast respect requires others, general feature species. Economic influence performance fitness consistent trait‐based theory about underlying adaptive mechanisms. Traits help explain differences growth survival gradients thus distribution assembly communities light, nutrient gradients. scale up associated faster processes such decomposition primary productivity, process rates. Synthesis . matter. A single ‘fast–slow’ integrates universe helps ecological strategies, functioning ecosystems.

Language: Английский

---

The global spectrum of plant form and function

Nature, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 529(7585), P. 167 - 171

Published: Dec. 23, 2015

Language: Английский

---

TRY – a global database of plant traits

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 17(9), P. 2905 - 2935

Published: April 26, 2011

Abstract Plant traits – the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants their organs determine how primary producers respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, influence ecosystem processes services provide a link from species richness functional diversity. Trait data thus represent raw material for wide range research evolutionary biology, community ecology biogeography. Here we present global database initiative named TRY, which has united plant trait worldwide gained an unprecedented buy‐in data: so far 93 databases have been contributed. The repository currently contains almost three million entries 69 000 out world's 300 species, with focus on 52 groups characterizing vegetative regeneration stages life cycle, including growth, dispersal, establishment persistence. A first analysis shows that most are approximately log‐normally distributed, widely differing ranges variation across traits. Most is between (interspecific), but significant intraspecific also documented, up 40% overall variation. types (PFTs), as commonly used in vegetation models, capture substantial fraction observed several occurs within PFTs, 75% In context models these would better be represented by state variables rather than fixed parameter values. improved availability unified expected support paradigm shift trait‐based ecology, offer new opportunities synthetic enable more realistic empirically grounded representation terrestrial Earth system models.

Language: Английский

---

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 26(1), P. 119 - 188

Published: Dec. 31, 2019

Abstract Plant traits—the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants—determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, influence ecosystem properties their benefits detriments people. trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area research spanning from evolutionary biology, community functional ecology, biodiversity conservation, landscape management, restoration, biogeography earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, TRY database plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented coverage under an open access policy is main used by worldwide. Increasingly, also supports new frontiers trait‐based research, including identification gaps subsequent mobilization or measurement data. To support this development, article we evaluate extent compiled analyse emerging patterns representativeness. Best species achieved categorical traits—almost complete ‘plant growth form’. However, most relevant ecology vegetation modelling are characterized continuous intraspecific variation trait–environmental relationships. These have be measured on individual respective environment. Despite coverage, observe humbling lack completeness representativeness these many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing biases remains key challenge requires coordinated approach measurements. This can only collaboration with initiatives.

Language: Английский

---

Plant functional traits have globally consistent effects on competition

Nature, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 529(7585), P. 204 - 207

Published: Dec. 23, 2015

Language: Английский

---

Meta-analysis reveals that hydraulic traits explain cross-species patterns of drought-induced tree mortality across the globe

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 113(18), P. 5024 - 5029

Published: April 18, 2016

Significance Predicting the impacts of climate extremes on plant communities is a central challenge in ecology. Physiological traits may improve prediction drought forests globally. We perform meta-analysis across 33 studies that span all forested biomes and find that, among examined traits, hydraulic explain cross-species patterns mortality from drought. Gymnosperm angiosperm was associated with different giving insight into relative weights mechanisms prediction. Our results provide foundation for more mechanistic predictions drought-induced tree Earth’s diverse forests.

Language: Английский

---

Functional traits explain variation in plant life history strategies

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 111(2), P. 740 - 745

Published: Dec. 30, 2013

Significance Plants have evolved diverse life history strategies to succeed in Earth’s varied environments. Some species grow quickly, produce copious seeds, and die within a few weeks. Other slowly rarely seeds but live thousands of years. We show that simple morphological measurements can predict where falls the global range strategies: with large long-lived leaves, or dense wood population growth rates influenced primarily by survival, whereas individual fecundity stronger influence on dynamics small short-lived soft wood. This finding increases ability scientists represent complex processes easily measured character traits.

Language: Английский

---

Impacts of species richness on productivity in a large-scale subtropical forest experiment

Science, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 362(6410), P. 80 - 83

Published: Oct. 4, 2018

Tree diversity improves forest productivity Experimental studies in grasslands have shown that the loss of species has negative consequences for ecosystem functioning. Is same true forests? Huang et al. report first results from a large biodiversity experiment subtropical China. The study combines many replicates, realistic tree densities, and plot sizes with wide range richness levels. After 8 years experiment, findings suggest strong positive effects on carbon accumulation. Thus, changing monocultures to more mixed forests could benefit both restoration mitigation climate change. Science , this issue p. 80

Language: Английский

---

Potassium, phosphorus, or nitrogen limit root allocation, tree growth, or litter production in a lowland tropical forest

Ecology, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 92(8), P. 1616 - 1625

Published: Aug. 1, 2011

We maintained a factorial nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) addition experiment for 11 years in humid lowland forest growing on relatively fertile soil Panama to evaluate potential nutrient limitation of tree growth rates, fine-litter production, fine-root biomass. replicated the eight treatments four times using 32 plots 40 × m each. The K was associated with significant decreases stand-level biomass and, companion study seedlings, allocation roots increases height rates. N together rates saplings poles (1–10 cm diameter at breast height) further marginally decrease P (P = 0.058) increase production that consistent across all litter fractions. Our provides evidence N, P, limit plants tropics, strongest by among saplings, poles.

Language: Английский

---

Relationships between phyllosphere bacterial communities and plant functional traits in a neotropical forest

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 111(38), P. 13715 - 13720

Published: Sept. 15, 2014

The phyllosphere--the aerial surfaces of plants, including leaves--is a ubiquitous global habitat that harbors diverse bacterial communities. Phyllosphere communities have the potential to influence plant biogeography and ecosystem function through their on fitness hosts, but host attributes drive community assembly in phyllosphere are poorly understood. In this study we used high-throughput sequencing quantify structure leaves 57 tree species neotropical forest Panama. We tested for relationships between functional traits, taxonomy, phylogeny hosts. Bacterial tropical were diverse; from individual trees more than 400 taxa. dominated by core microbiome taxa Actinobacteria, Alpha-, Beta-, Gammaproteobacteria, Sphingobacteria. Host taxonomic identity, phylogeny, growth mortality rates, wood density, leaf mass per area, nitrogen phosphorous concentrations correlated with leaves. relative abundances several suites traits related major axes trait variation, economics spectrum density-growth/mortality tradeoff. These correlations diversity growth, mortality, suggest incorporating information plant-microbe associations will improve our ability understand drivers variation function.

Language: Английский

---