Within-individual leaf trait variation increases with phenotypic integration in a subtropical tree diversity experiment

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Pablo Castro Sánchez-Bermejo
  • Andréa Davrinche
  • Silvia Matesanz
  • W. Stanley Harpole
  • Sylvia Haider

Covariation of plant functional traits, that is, phenotypic integration, might constrain their variability. This was observed for inter- and intraspecific variation, but there is no evidence of a relationship between phenotypic integration and the functional variation within single plants (within-individual trait variation; WTV), which could be key to understand the extent of WTV in contexts like plant–plant interactions. We studied the relationship between WTV and phenotypic integration in c. 500 trees of 21 species in planted forest patches varying in species richness in subtropical China. Using visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIRS), we measured nine leaf morphological and chemical traits. For each tree, we assessed metrics of single and multitrait variation to assess WTV, and we used plant trait network properties based on trait correlations to quantify phenotypic integration. Against expectations, strong phenotypic integration within a tree led to greater variation across leaves. Not only this was true for single traits, but also the dispersion in a tree's multitrait hypervolume was positively associated with tree's phenotypic integration. Surprisingly, we only detected weak influence of the surrounding tree-species diversity on these relationships. Our study suggests that integrated phenotypes allow the variability of leaf phenotypes within the organism and supports that phenotypic integration prevents maladaptive variation.

Original languageEnglish
JournalNew Phytologist
Volume240
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)1390-1404
Number of pages15
ISSN0028-646X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.11.2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank all local Xingangshan managers for the maintenance of the experiment and help during data collection and the student helpers for their help with processing the samples. Also, we are grateful to three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on an earlier version. The study was supported by the International Research Group TreeDì jointly funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – 319 936 945/GRK2324, and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2023 New Phytologist Foundation.

    Research areas

  • leaf functional traits, niche complementarity, phenotypic integration, plant–plant interactions, trait-based ecology, within-individual trait variation
  • Biology

DOI

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Critical look at dynamic sketches when learning mathematics
  2. Service Level Driven Stock Allocation
  3. Investigating Internal CSR Communication: Building a Theoretical Framework
  4. Inside-sediment partitioning of PAH, PCB and organochlorine compounds and inferences on sampling and normalization methods
  5. Differenz, Differenzierung
  6. Walk counts, labyrinthicity, and complexity of acyclic and cyclic graphs and molecules.
  7. Deterministic Pod Repositioning in Robotic Mobile Fulfillment Systems
  8. Re-visiting Effectuation
  9. Improving mechanical properties of chip-based aluminum extrudates by integrated extrusion and equal channel angular pressing (iECAP)
  10. Fermentative utilization of coffee mucilage using Bacillus coagulans and investigation of down-stream processing of fermentation broth for optically pure L(+)-lactic acid production
  11. Model-based wind turbine control design with power tracking capability
  12. Tree phylogenetic diversity structures multitrophic communities
  13. Multinomial choice models based on Archimedean copulas
  14. Learning through evaluation
  15. Vocational identity as a mediator of the relationship between core self-evaluations and life and job satisfaction
  16. Higher Wages in Exporting Firms
  17. The 1986 Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space (RS Princi­ples)
  18. Mechanisms of teleological change
  19. Value of large-scale linear networks for bird conservation
  20. The Weird and the Eerie
  21. Generalizing Trust
  22. Dissolved carbon leaching from soil is a crucial component of the net ecosystem carbon balance
  23. Hacking Crowdfunding
  24. Towards a bridging concept for undesirable resilience in social-ecological systems
  25. Dimension theoretical properties of generalized Baker's transformations
  26. Noticing Colour
  27. The Timing of Daily Demand for Goods and Services
  28. A directional modification of the Levkovitch-Svendsen cross-hardening model based on the stress deviator
  29. Impact assessment of emissions stabilization scenarios with and without induced technological change
  30. Methodological Challenges in Sustainability Science: A Call for Method Plurality, Procedural Rigor and Longitudinal Research
  31. Headway Control and Comfort in Vehicle Automation
  32. Introduction to Music and the Politics of Memory
  33. Influence of Different Biogenic Fuels on Base Oil Aging
  34. Grassroots Innovations for Inclusive Development
  35. Die coatings influence evaluation and friction model selection in aluminium extrusion by means of visioplasticity technique
  36. Drivers of within-tree leaf trait variation in a tropical planted forest varying in tree species richness
  37. Life satisfaction in Germany after reunification: Additional insights on the pattern of convergence
  38. Introduction to the Psychology of Entrepreneurship
  39. BAuA-Arbeitszeitbefragung: Vergleich 2015 – 2017 – 2019