#NewPaper out

Maria Milanović et al. (2025) Successful alien plant species exhibit functional dissimilarity from natives under varied climatic conditions but not under increased nutrient availability. Journal of Vegetation Science 36: e70032. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.70032

Alien and native species increasing in their abundance did not differ in their leaf traits. We found significantly lower specific leaf area (SLA) with an increase in mean annual temperature and lower leaf Potassium with mean annual precipitation. For trait–environment relationships, when compared to native species, successful aliens exhibited an increase in leaf Phosphorus and a decrease in leaf Potassium with an increase in mean annual precipitation. Finally, aliens' SLA decreased in plots with higher mean annual temperatures.

#NewPublication #biodiversity #ecology #alienSpecies #functionalTraits #NutNet
#xp

If you are interested in mutualism and warming, this is a plug for collaborative project led by Austin Cruz along with G. Davidowitz & J. Bronstein, synthesizing thermal physiology and the biology of mutualisms in "Mutualisms in a warming world":

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ele.14264

#Mutualism #ThermalPhysiology #GlobalChange #GlobalWarming #FunctionalTraits

Awesome days in the Trait Course in Castelló (eastern Spain) with great people and top lecturers acquiring #PlantEcology knowledge through the universal language of #FunctionalTraits. From community assembly to carbon sequestration, #EcosystemServices or ecological statistics.

Thanks to the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Centre for Forest Research and Desertification Research Centre (CSIC) for the organization and to CEAM Foundation for the opportunity they have given me!

Very interesting work by Adie and Lawes reinforcing why managing #GrassyBiomes and #Forests must account for #FunctionalTraits of vegetation.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/brv.12923

This grabbed my attention.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01774-9.

I recently compiled data on leaf area. I was keen to compare for species with bipinnate compound leaves that are common in African #TropicalGrassyBiomes. For leaf area I used leaflet size from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77089275-1/general-information.

I downloaded their data (https://doi.org/10.17871/TRY.81). The metadata says leaf area is "in case of compound leaves the area of a leaflet lamina". I checked Acacia nilotica. Theirs: 1691.79 mm^^. Mine: 4.2 mm^^.

#FunctionalTraits

As I said before, this is impressive work.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01774-9

I have questions: Why are all plant species that do not have needle-leaves or scale-type leaves lumped together as broad-leaved? Why are species with simple leaves treated like species with pinnate or bipinnate compound leaves?

#PlantForm
#PlantFunction
#FunctionalTraits
#Ecophysiology