Here, we analysed a wide range of literature data on the leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA).
In nature, LMA varies more than 100‐fold among species. Part of this variation (c. 35%) can …

Plant trait data have been used in various studies related to ecosystem functioning,
community ecology, and assessment of ecosystem services. Evidences are that plant …

Maintenance of plant physiological functions under drought stress is normally considered a
positive feature as it indicates sustained plant health and growth. This study was conducted …

Plant functional traits are the features (morphological, physiological, phenological) that
represent ecological strategies and determine how plants respond to environmental factors …

Agriculture is facing up to an increasing number of challenges, including the need to ensure
various ecosystem services and to resolve apparent conflicts between them. One of the …

Comparative functional ecology seeks to understand why and how ecological systems and
their components operate differently across environments. Although traditionally used in …

Despite progress in trait‐based ecology, there is limited understanding of the plant traits that
structure semi‐arid grasslands. In particular, it remains unclear how traits that enable plants …

Understanding how environmental factors drive plant community assembly remains a major
challenge in community ecology. The strength of different assembly processes along …

Natural disturbances induced by insect outbreaks have increased in forest ecosystems over
the past decades. To minimize economic loss and prevent a mass outbreak, early detection …

Abstract Background and Aims Specific leaf area (SLA), a key element of the 'worldwide leaf
economics spectrum', is the preferred 'soft'plant trait for assessing soil fertility. SLA is a …