Nitrogen and water effects on functional traits

Nitrogen and water effects on functional traits

Changes in resource supply can have significant effects on plant functional traits. Ren et al. conduct a field study to examine the responses of five herbaceous perennial steppe species to variations in nitrogen and water supply. They find that addition of N and water both reduce leaf longevity, and soil water availability may play a fundamental role in determining this and other leaf traits, with its effects being modified by soil N availability in semi-arid areas.