A heuristic classification of woody plants based on contrasting shade and drought strategies

• DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy146
• Publication Date: 2018-12-19T15:12:49Z
• Authors: Liang Wei; Chonggang Xu; Steven Jansen; Hang Zhou; Bradley O Christo...; William T Pockman; Richard S Middleton; John D Marshall; Nate G McDowell
• Keywords: Chaparral; Shade tolerance

Woody plants vary in their adaptations to drought and shade. For a better prediction of vegetation responses shade within dynamic global models, it is critical group species into functional types with similar adaptations. One the key challenges that are generally determined by large number plant traits may not be available for species. In this study, we present two heuristic woody groups were separated using cluster analysis three-dimensional trait-environment space based on three metrics each species: mean xylem embolism resistance, tolerance habitat aridity. The separate these tolerators avoiders. either rely high resistance tolerate arid habitats (e.g., Juniperus Prunus) or withstand shaded conditions wet Picea, Abies Acer). contrast, all avoiders have low tolerance. habitats, tend minimize catastrophic most Pinus species) while they survive despite Betula, Populus, Alnus Salix). Because our approach links environmental conditions, expect could promising framework predicting changes composition, therefore ecosystem function, under changing conditions.