TY - JOUR AU - Díaz, Sandra AU - Kattge, Jens AU - Cornelissen, Johannes H. C. AU - Wright, Ian J. AU - Lavorel, Sandra AU - Dray, Stéphane AU - Reu, Björn AU - Kleyer, Michael AU - Wirth, Christian AU - Colin Prentice, I. AU - Garnier, Eric AU - Bönisch, Gerhard AU - Westoby, Mark AU - Poorter, Hendrik AU - Reich, Peter B. AU - Moles, Angela T. AU - Dickie, John AU - Gillison, Andrew N. AU - Zanne, Amy E. AU - Chave, Jérôme AU - Joseph Wright, S. AU - Sheremet’ev, Serge N. AU - Jactel, Hervé AU - Baraloto, Christopher AU - Cerabolini, Bruno AU - Pierce, Simon AU - Shipley, Bill AU - Kirkup, Donald AU - Casanoves, Fernando AU - Joswig, Julia S. AU - Günther, Angela AU - Falczuk, Valeria AU - Rüger, Nadja AU - Mahecha, Miguel D. AU - Gorné, Lucas D. TI - The global spectrum of plant form and function JO - Nature VL - 529 SN - 1476-4687 CY - London [u.a.] PB - Nature Publ. Group78092 M1 - FZJ-2016-00099 SP - 167–171 PY - 2015 AB - Earth is home to a remarkable diversity of plant forms and life histories, yet comparatively few essential trait combinations have proved evolutionarily viable in today’s terrestrial biosphere. By analysing worldwide variation in six major traits critical to growth, survival and reproduction within the largest sample of vascular plant species ever compiled, we found that occupancy of six-dimensional trait space is strongly concentrated, indicating coordination and trade-offs. Three-quarters of trait variation is captured in a two-dimensional global spectrum of plant form and function. One major dimension within this plane reflects the size of whole plants and their parts; the other represents the leaf economics spectrum, which balances leaf construction costs against growth potential. The global plant trait spectrum provides a backdrop for elucidating constraints on evolution, for functionally qualifying species and ecosystems, and for improving models that predict future vegetation based on continuous variation in plant form and function. LB - PUB:(DE-HGF)16 UR - <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000368015700027 C6 - pmid:26700811 DO - DOI:10.1038/nature16489 UR - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/280310 ER -