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Sammanfattning

Warming temperatures can promote arctic tree seedling establishment and growth, but these effects depend on the environmental context and the seedlings' capacity to acquire limiting resources. Here, we tested how temperature, soil properties, and the presence of a neighbouring shrub influence seedling growth rates. We further explored how the environment-induced shifts in growth rates are related to traits associated with resource acquisition strategy. Seedlings of mountain birch Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii were grown in a growth chamber experiment with a fully factorial design manipulating temperature (ambient, warm), soil origin (low elevation, high elevation), and the presence or absence of a common neighbour, crowberry Empetrum nigrum subsp. hermaphroditum. Growth rate, carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation rates, ectomycorrhizal fungal colonisation, and above- and belowground functional traits that are linked to resource acquisition strategies, were measured for the mountain birch seedlings. Warming significantly increased seedling growth, and growth rates were positively associated with several above- and belowground traits associated with resource acquisition. Surprisingly, growth rates were not correlated with leaf traits such as specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content. Soil origin and the presence of Empetrum did not affect the growth rate responses to warming, although seedlings grown in high-elevation soils generally grew faster and had higher CO2 assimilation rates. These seedlings also expressed traits, commonly associated with conservative growth strategy. Our results highlight that both above- and belowground plant traits adjust differently to warming as part of their growth response. While seedling functional traits can be highly plastic in response to changes in temperature and soil conditions, they are not always coupled with changes in seedling growth rates. This is likely because birch seedlings adopt different growth-promoting strategies under different environmental conditions.

Nyckelord

Betula pubescens subsp; czerepanovii; CO2 assimilation rate; Empetrum nigrum subsp; hermaphroditum; functional traits; growth rate; warming

Publicerad i

Oikos
2025
Utgivare: WILEY

SLU författare

UKÄ forskningsämne

Ekologi

Publikationens identifierare

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/oik.11580

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/144810