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Robust leaf trait relationships across species under global environmental changes

Author

Listed:
  • Erqian Cui

    (East China Normal University
    East China Normal University)

  • Ensheng Weng

    (Columbia University)

  • Enrong Yan

    (East China Normal University
    East China Normal University)

  • Jianyang Xia

    (East China Normal University
    East China Normal University
    Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC))

Abstract

Recent studies show coordinated relationships between plant leaf traits and their capacity to predict ecosystem functions. However, how leaf traits will change within species and whether interspecific trait relationships will shift under future environmental changes both remain unclear. Here, we examine the bivariate correlations between leaf economic traits of 515 species in 210 experiments which mimic climate warming, drought, elevated CO2, and nitrogen deposition. We find divergent directions of changes in trait-pairs between species, and the directions mostly do not follow the interspecific trait relationships. However, the slopes in the logarithmic transformed interspecific trait relationships hold stable under environmental changes, while only their elevations vary. The elevation changes of trait relationship are mainly driven by asymmetrically interspecific responses contrary to the direction of the leaf economic spectrum. These findings suggest robust interspecific trait relationships under global changes, and call for linking within-species responses to interspecific coordination of plant traits.

Suggested Citation

  • Erqian Cui & Ensheng Weng & Enrong Yan & Jianyang Xia, 2020. "Robust leaf trait relationships across species under global environmental changes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16839-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16839-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephan Kambach & Francesco Maria Sabatini & Fabio Attorre & Idoia Biurrun & Gerhard Boenisch & Gianmaria Bonari & Andraž Čarni & Maria Laura Carranza & Alessandro Chiarucci & Milan Chytrý & Jürgen De, 2023. "Climate-trait relationships exhibit strong habitat specificity in plant communities across Europe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Li, Yibo & Tao, Fulu, 2022. "Interactions of genotype, environment and management on wheat traits and grain yield variations in different climate zones across China," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).

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