Functional trait Abbrev. Related with
Continuous traits and units
Plant height (m) H Competitiveness, robustness, potential strength, fecundity, carbon storage, light acquisition
Seed mass (mg) SM Dispersal, establishment, survival, competitiveness
Leaf area (mm2) LA Resource acquisition, allometric factors and environmental stresses
Specific leaf area (mm2 mg-1) SLA Relative Growth Rate (RGR) and environmental conditions
Leaf dry matter content (mg g-1) LDMC Leaf density, decomposition rates and plant defense.
Leaf thickness (mm) LT Defense, carbon balance, resource acquisition and use, longevity
Physical strength of leaves (N mm-1) LS Defense, mechanical damage, anatomical variation, longer leaf lifespans, carbon investment.
Leaf water potential at pre-dawn (MPa) Ψpre-dawn Water status and hydraulic strategies
Leaf water potential at noon (MPa) Ψnoon Water status and hydraulic strategies
Δ Leaf Water potential between noon and pre-dawn Hydraulic strategies
Light-saturated photosynthetic rate (µmol m-2 s-1) Amax Metabolic capacity and leaf economic spectrum
Leaf transpiration rate (mol m-2 s-1)
E
Photosynthetic rates, physical leaf characteristics and hydraulic strategies.
Intercellular CO2/Ambient CO2 Ci/Ca Related to stomatal limitations of gas exchange when it is compared with stomatal conductance.
Water use efficiency (µmol CO2 mmol H2O-1) WUE Carbon balance, water use efficiency, resource use and acquisition
Leaf phosphorus content (mg g-1) LPC Leaf quality, nutritional quality of the soil
Leaf carbon content (mg g-1) LCC Leaf construction, resource use
Leaf nitrogen content (mg g-1) LNC Concentration of RuBisCO, photosynthesis and fast-to-slow strategy, nutritional quality of the soil
Leaf C:N C:N Decomposition rate
Cuticular conductance (mmol m-2 s-1) gmin Drought tolerance and water balance
Categorical traits
Spinescence Defense, correlated with drought and grazing pressure
Pubescence Regulation of leaf temperature and water loss
Dispersal syndrome Competitiveness, robustness, potential establishment, migration capability