Abstract
Abstract Characterizing variation in plant functional traits is often key to understanding community‐level processes and predicting ecosystem responses to environmental change. Trait‐based ecology has focused on interspecific trait variation, but sources and consequences of within‐species ontogenetic trait variation, particularly during early stages of development, remain understudied. Using a manipulative greenhouse experiment, we investigated trait variation during early stages of seedling development in seven dominant perennial plant species in the western United States. We examined variability in key trait values (i.e. SLA, root:shoot ratio (RSR), specific root length (SRL) and root dry matter content (RDMC)) of 20‐ to 62‐day‐old seedlings grown under low and high levels of water availability. We also compared these to compiled trait databases to assess how representative these readily available data sources are of seedling trait values. Early seedling trait values shifted greatly during early stages of development and generally differed from average plant trait database values. Trait shifts were greatest in forbs versus grasses. Overall, observed trait shifts suggested a transition from fast‐growing resource acquisitional strategies towards more slow‐growing conservative strategies over time. For example, seedling SLA decreased while RSR and RDMC increased over time. That seedling trait values aconsistently differed from trait database values indicates that plant trait database values may be poor predictors of seedling trait values. Such mismatches in species trait information could result in inaccurate predictions of community assembly outcomes or incongruities between seedling traits and environmental filters experienced by seedlings during early stages of recruitment in applied settings. We suggest that additional work is needed to characterize intraspecific trait variation across plant ontogeny, and that this information should be incorporated into studies ranging from understanding early plant growth and survival to evaluating the outcomes of ecological restoration. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Early seedling trait values shifted greatly during development.
Verbatim
e0“Early seedling trait values shifted greatly during early stages of development”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling traits generally differed from average database values.
Verbatim
e0“generally differed from average plant trait database values”
Claim · model-written summary
Trait shifts were greatest in forbs compared with grasses.
Verbatim
e0“Trait shifts were greatest in forbs versus grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling SLA decreased over time.
Verbatim
e0“seedling SLA decreased while RSR and RDMC increased over time”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling RSR increased over time.
Verbatim
e0“seedling SLA decreased while RSR and RDMC increased over time”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling RDMC increased over time.
Verbatim
e0“seedling SLA decreased while RSR and RDMC increased over time”
Claim · model-written summary
Trait shifts suggested a transition from acquisitional to conservative strategies.
- Outcome
- transition from fast‐growing resource acquisitional strategies towards more slow‐growing conservative strategiese0
- Qualifier
- observed trait shiftse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“observed trait shifts suggested a transition from fast‐growing resource acquisitional strategies towards more slow‐growing conservative strategies over time”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude database traits may poorly predict seedling values.
Not reportedComparatorValue
Verbatim
e0“plant trait database values may be poor predictors of seedling trait values”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend incorporating ontogenetic trait variation into ecological and restoration studies.
Verbatim
e0“this information should be incorporated into studies ranging from understanding early plant growth and survival to evaluating the outcomes of ecological restoration”