Warming alters the network of physiological traits and their contribution to plant abundance

The impact of global warming on plant abundance has been widely discussed, but it remains unclear how warming affects plant physiological traits, and how these traits contribute to the abundance of aquatic plants. We explored the adjustments in physiological traits of two common aquatic plant species (Potamogeton crispus L. and Elodea canadensis Michx.) and their links to plant abundance in three temperature treatments by determining twelve physiological traits and plant abundance over an 11-month period in outdoor mesocosms. This mesocosms facility has been running uninteruptedly for 16 years, rendering the plants a unique opportunity to adapt to the warming differences. We found that 1) warming reduced the starch storage in winter for P. crispus and in summer for E. canadensis while increased the nitrogenous substances (e.g., TN, FAA, and proline) in winter for P. crispus. 2) For E. canadensis, TC, starch, SC, and sucrose contents were higher in summer than in winter regardless of warming, while TC, SC, and sucrose contents were lower in summer for P. crispus. 3) Warming decreased the association strength between physiological traits and plant abundance for P. crispus but enhanced it for E. canadensis. 4) E. canadensis showed increased interaction strength among physiological traits under warming, indicating increased metabolic exertion in the response to warming, which contributed to the reduction in abundance. Trait interaction strength of P. crispus was reduced under warming, but with less impact on plant abundance compared with E. canadensis. Our study emphasizes that warming alters the network of plant physiological traits and their contribution to abundance and that different strengths of susceptibility to warming of the various plant species may alter the composition of plant communities in freshwater ecosystems.