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Meaningful characteristics for grouping plant species in arid ecosystems
By Marlene Ivonne Bär Lamas , A.L. Carrera, MB Bertil
In the Journal of Plant Research, Pages 1-13, First time online: February 20, 2016
look: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10265-016-0803-6
Abstract
Grouping species may somewhat simplify the understanding of the ecological functions of plants in key ecosystem processes. We wondered whether plant species groups based on morphochemical traits associated with plant persistence and stress tolerance reflect the dominant growth forms of plants in arid ecosystems. We selected 12 sites along an aridity gradient in northern Patagonia. At each site, we identified the mode-sized plant of each dominant species and assessed specific leaf area (SLA), plant height, seed mass, N, and soluble phenol concentrations in green and senescing leaves per plant. Using cluster analysis, plant species were grouped according to plant growth form (perennial herb, evergreen shrub, and deciduous shrub) and plant morphological and/or chemical traits. We calculated the mean value for each plant trait for each species group and plant growth form. Plant growth forms differed significantly in most morphochemical traits. Evergreen shrubs were tall plants with the highest seed mass and highest leaf soluble phenolic content, deciduous shrubs were also tall plants with high SLA and highest leaf N content, and perennial herbs were short plants with high SLA and low leaf N and soluble phenolic concentrations. Grouping species according to a combination of morphological and chemical traits resulted in four groups dominated by species from the same growth form. These species groups differed in soluble phenolic concentrations in senescing leaves and plant height. These traits were highly correlated. We conclude that (1) plant height is a relevant composite variable, (2) growth form adequately recapitulates the ecological strategies of species in arid ecosystems, and (3) inclusion of plant morphological and chemical traits related to defense against environmental stress and herbivory enhances the potential for species grouping, particularly in shrubby growth forms.
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