Consistency of species ranking based on functional leaf traits

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Plant Biology
• Trait Ecology

Background:

• Specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC) are key plant functional traits used to infer resource use strategies.
• These traits are valuable for large-scale ecological studies and biodiversity assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the spatio-temporal repeatability of species rankings for SLA, LDMC, and LNC.
• To determine the suitability of these traits for large-scale plant functional trait databases.

Main Methods:

• Studied spatio-temporal variations of SLA, LDMC (of water-saturated leaves - SLA_SAT and LDMC_SAT), and LNC.
• Investigated 57 herbaceous and woody species in southern France under a Mediterranean climate.
• Analyzed interannual, interseasonal, and intersite variations.

Main Results:

• Species rankings for SLA_SAT and LDMC_SAT were largely consistent across space and time, despite seasonal and site variations.
• LDMC_SAT classifications demonstrated higher repeatability across years and sites.
• SLA_SAT classifications were more stable across seasons.
• LNC classifications were generally the least repeatable.

Conclusions:

• SLA_SAT and LDMC_SAT are the most suitable leaf traits for large-scale screening programs due to their measurement repeatability.
• While LNC is important, its lower repeatability may limit its use in broad comparative studies.
• Understanding trait stability is crucial for accurate ecological interpretations and database development.