Inter- and intra-specific variation in seedling root traits: Extent, drivers and implications for enhancing trait-based models and databases
(2025) DIVERSE AGM: Adapting Forests to Global Change — Location: Gatineau, Canada (27.October.2025)
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- Seedling regeneration following disturbance is a critical phase in forests dynamics, yet seedlings are highly sensitive to stressors such as drought, fire, and herbivory. Root traits, essential for water uptake, are key to understanding seedling drought sensitivity, but remain understudied—particularly in terms of intraspecific trait variation (ITV). We investigate root trait ITV in seedlings of seven co-occurring tree species in Eastern North American forests. We assess the influence of climate, canopy opening, soil features, neighborhood vegetation, and species identity on seven root traits and one foliar trait. Our objectives are to: (i) quantify the extent of ITV across traits and species; (ii) evaluate the relative contributions of species identity and ITV (within and between sites) to overall trait variation, and (ii) identify environmental drivers of ITV across spatial scales. These findings will help us discuss the implications of using existing traits data for comparative ecology and modelling.
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Dendoncker, M., & Aubin, I. (2025, October 28). Inter- and intra-specific variation in seedling root traits: Extent, drivers and implications for enhancing trait-based models and databases. DIVERSE AGM: Adapting Forests to Global Change, Gatineau, Canada. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/276200