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Pierick, K.; Leuschner, C.; Link, R.; Baez, S.; Velescu, A.; Wilcke, W. &amp; Homeier, J. (2024): <b>Above-and belowground strategies of tropical montane tree species are coordinated and driven by small-scale nitrogen availability</b>. <i>Functional Ecology</i> <b>38</b>, 1364-1377.

Resource Description

Title: Above-and belowground strategies of tropical montane tree species are coordinated and driven by small-scale nitrogen availability
FOR816dw ID: 1962
Publication Date: 2024-03-28
License and Usage Rights: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Resource Owner(s):
Individual: Kerstin Pierick
Contact:
Individual: Christoph Leuschner
Contact:
Individual: Roman Link
Contact:
Individual: S Baez
Contact:
Individual: Andre Velescu
Contact:
Individual: Wolfgang Wilcke
Contact:
Individual: Jürgen Homeier
Contact:
Abstract:
1. The question whether the strategies of above-and belowground plant organs<br/> are coordinated as predicted by the plant economics spectrum theory is still<br/> under debate. We aim to determine the leading dimensions of tree trait variation<br/> for above-and belowground functional traits, and test whether they represent<br/> spectra of adaptation along a soil fertility gradient in tropical Andean<br/> forests.<br/> 2. We measured leaf, stem and fine root functional traits, and individual-level<br/> soil nutrient availability for 433 trees from 52 species at three elevations between<br/> 1000 and 3000 m a.s.l.<br/> 3. We found close coordination between above– and belowground functional traits<br/> related to the trade-off between resource acquisition and conservation, whereas<br/> root diameter and specific root length formed an independent axis of covarying<br/> traits. The position of a tree species along the acquisition–conservation axis of<br/> the trait space was closely associated with local soil nitrogen, but not phosphorus,<br/> availability.<br/> 4. Our results imply that above-and belowground plant functional traits determine<br/> at which edaphic microhabitats coexisting tree species can grow, which is potentially<br/> crucial for understanding community assembly in species-rich<br/> tropical montane forests.
Keywords:
| Ecuador | tropical montane forest | fine roots | intraspecific variability | functional traits |
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal: Functional Ecology
Volume: 38
Page Range: 1364-1377
Metadata Provider:
Individual: Jürgen Homeier
Contact:
Online Distribution:
Download File: http://www.tropicalmountainforest.org/publications.do?citid=1962


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