Leaf Traits and Aboveground Biomass Variability of Forest Understory Herbaceous Plant Species

Abstract

Despite increasing use of trait-based approaches in community ecology, most studies do not account for intraspecific variability of functional traits. Although numerous studies investigated functional traits of species with high economic value, the intraspecific and interspecific (caused by species identity) trait variability of forest understory herbs is still poorly understood. We aimed to assess the variability of specific leaf area (SLA), total leaf area, aboveground biomass and leaf mass fraction among 167 forest understory plant species, and the level of variability explained by species identity and collection site. We hypothesized that the level of intraspecific variability of SLA is underestimated in commonly used trait databases and that the interspecific variability (caused by species identity) is greater than intraspecific variability (site-specific). Our study revealed higher interspecific than intraspecific variability of the traits studied. We also confirmed that level of intraspecific variability available in the LEDA database is underestimated. We confirmed that species identity was the main factor determining the values of all the traits studied, and site-specific random effects explained lower amounts of variation in traits. Use of trait values from databases not acknowledging intraspecific variability is biased by uncertainty about this variability. For that reason, our analysis used mean trait values to reduce uncertainty of the results in the study conducted to assess human impacts on ecosystems. Thus, our study might support the assumption that level of intraspecific variability of functional traits is lower than interspecific variability.

The Assessment and the Within-Plant Variation of the Morpho-Physiological Traits and VOCs Profile in Endemic and Rare Salvia ceratophylloides Ard. (Lamiaceae)

“…Among the different Salvia species, the LMA of S. ceratophylloides was similar to S. mellifera , S. hispanica and S. officinalis [ 31 , 32 , 33 ], lower than S. mohavensis and S. dorrii var. dorrii [ 31 ], and higher than S. glutinosa and S. pratensis [ 34 , 35 ]. The different ranges of the LMA of S. ceratophylloides with respect to that of some Salvia species, were probably correlated with its functional response to the environmental conditions, such as water and light availability [ 29 , 30 ].…”

“…For the comparison of the LMA and P N of S. ceratophylloides with that of different plant functional groups and Salvia spp., we used the Isat and Icomp data obtained from [ 80 , 81 ] for evergreen angiosperm, [ 29 ] for evergreen shrub, [ 30 ] for evergreen species, [ 82 ] for S. officinalis , [ 34 ] for S. pratensis , [ 35 ] for S. glutinosa , [ 33 ] for S. hispanica , [ 31 ] for S. mohavensis , S. leucophylla , S. dorrii var. dorrii and S. mellifera .…”

“…The dotted lines are drawn for a better comparison with the minimum and maximum value of Salvia ceratophylloides , Figure S4: Leaf mass per area (g m −2 ) of sun- and shade-species herbs, evergreen angiosperm and species, herbs and different Salvia species. The data of LMA of Salvia species, herbs, evergreen angiosperm and species are indicated by minimum (▮) and maximum value ( ▮ ) or by the average (black plot point and the standard deviation where reported)] and have been derived from Martins et al [ 82 ] for S. officinalis , Mommer et al [ 34 ] for S. pratensis, Paź-Dyderska et al [ 35 ] for S. glutinosa , Goergen et al [ 33 ] for S. hispanica , Knight and Ackerley [ 31 ] for S. mohavensis , S. leucophylla , S. dorrii var. dorrii and S. mellifera , Poorter et al [ 29 ] for herbs, Duursma et al [ 81 ] for evergreen angiosperm and de la Riva et al [ 30 ] for evergreen species.…”

Similar Impacts of Alien and Native Tree Species on Understory Light Availability in a Temperate Forest

“…For Populus × canadensis Moench we used the average SLA for the two parental species: P. nigra L. and P. deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall. Although SLA shows intraspecific variability, especially connected with light availability and canopy position [52,53], interspecific effects are more important in shaping SLA than intraspecific variability [54]. For that reason we assumed that lower levels of intra-than interspecific variability justified usage of SLA values from databases.…”

“…This trait reflects plant strategy of facing limited resources and life span, as well as investment in foliage development [74]. Although SLA varies with climate [75,76], light availability [38,43,77], and growing season [78], interspecific variation is higher than intraspecific [54]. Therefore, each tree species LAI to BA ratio is also dependent on leaf morphology, compromising species-specific evolutionary legacies [79].…”