Abstract
Plant traits have been used to predict species and community responses to environmental gradients. We studied variation of leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), flowering shoot number and seed mass along an elevation gradient in the case of Trigonocaryum involucratum, a scree-growing plant endemic to the Caucasus ecoregion. The study had two major aims: (1) to compare the role of intra-population and inter-population variation of functional trait values; and (2) to ascertain dependence between elevation and trait values and their variation. We collected trait data in several populations in Dagestan (Russian Federation), where the species has about a 1000-m amplitude of elevational distribution. The intraspecific variability of trait values was assessed via standard statistical tools (one-way ANOVA and linear regression analysis). The trait values mostly have high inter-population variation (more than 90% for each of the trait values compared to intra-population variation of each trait), indicating adaptation of populations to site conditions. Much higher intra- vs. inter-population variation in SLA at subnival elevations indicates local micro-site diversity and may serve as a buffer against future stress related to climate change. All the trait values negatively but significantly correlate (weakly or moderately) with elevation. Negative correlation presumably shows a certain increase in the limiting effect of the elevation gradient associated with changes in temperature, soil nutrient availability and soil water content, as well as with high solar radiation. More evidence from a broader study of the species throughout its distribution range is needed for firmer conclusions about the intraspecific variability of T. involucratum.
Highlights
Functional trait variability enables plants to survive and reproduce in conditions of varying degrees of stress, disturbance and competition (Westoby 1998; Grime 2001; Lavorel & Garnier 2002; Westoby et al 2002; Reich et al 2003)
We studied leaf area (LA) and specific leaf area (SLA) as measures of resource acquisition (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al 2013), flowering shoot number as a measure of fecundity and seed mass as a measure of both survivorship and fecundity (Westoby et al 1996) in the case of Trigonocaryum involucratum (Steven) Medw., a scree-growing plant endemic to the Caucasus ecoregion
Trigonocaryum involucratum is a 2-10 cm tall plant sparsely covered in all parts with sub-appressed, equal bristles borne on small tubercles, generally green
Summary
Functional trait variability enables plants to survive and reproduce in conditions of varying degrees of stress, disturbance and competition (Westoby 1998; Grime 2001; Lavorel & Garnier 2002; Westoby et al 2002; Reich et al 2003). Endemic species occupying niches unavailable to others are interesting in connection with intraspecific variation and plasticity of the traits best reflecting plant ecological strategies, i.e., whether a species is developing a more competitive ecological strategy or adopting a more conservative strategy through adaptation of functional traits to specific habitat conditions (Westoby 1998; Tonin et al 2020). Existing literature only mentions Trigonocaryum among mono- and oligotypic endemic Caucasian genera, characterises T. involucratum as a scree-growing species and deals with its morphology or molecular genetics mainly in relation to the taxonomic position of the species (Gachechiladze & Kobakhidze 1996; Kerimov & Askerova 2005; Chacón et al 2016), but no studies have been carried out on functional traits so far
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