Environmental gradients and grassland trait variation: Insight into the effects of climate change

摘要: Abstract The research aim was to understand how variation of temperature and water availability drives trait assemblage seminatural grasslands in sub-Mediterranean climate, where climate change is expected intensify summer aridity. In the central Italy, we recorded species abundance elevation, slope aspect angle 129 plots. traits analysed were life span, growth form, clonality, belowground organs, leaf traits, plant height, seed mass, palatability. We used Ellenberg's indicators as a proxy assess air soil moisture gradients. From productive harsh conditions, observed shift from tolerance avoidance strategies, resource allocation strategies face competition stress or that maximize exploitation patchily distributed niches. addition, found increase scarcity leads establishment regeneration enable plants cope with unpredictability changes intensity duration. Since dry habitats higher elevations are also constrained by winter cold stress, argue that, within bioclimate, will likely lead dominance inside communities rather than upwards ranges. At elevations, drought-adaptive might become more abundant on south-facing slopes less stressed low temperatures; related conditions would be replaced north-facing those adapted overcome both drought stresses.