The world‐wide ‘fast–slow’ plant economics spectrum: a traits manifesto

作者：Peter B. Reich · 发表于：Journal of Ecology · 年份：2014 · DOI：10.1111/1365-2745.12211 · 被引用次数：4084 · 研究领域：Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Plant and animal studies、Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics

Summary The leaf economics spectrum (LES) provides a useful framework for examining species strategies as shaped by their evolutionary history. However, that spectrum, as originally described, involved only two key resources (carbon and nutrients) and one of three economically important plant organs. Herein, I evaluate whether the economics spectrum idea can be broadly extended to water – the third key resource –stems, roots and entire plants and to individual, community and ecosystem scales. My overarching hypothesis is that strong selection along trait trade‐off axes, in tandem with biophysical constraints, results in convergence for any taxon on a uniformly fast, medium or slow strategy (i.e. rates of resource acquisition and processing) for all organs and all resources. Evidence for economic trait spectra exists for stems and roots as well as leaves, and for traits related to water as well as carbon and nutrients. These apply generally within and across scales (within and across communities, climate zones, biomes and lineages). There are linkages across organs and coupling among resources, resulting in an integrated whole‐plant economics spectrum. Species capable of moving water rapidly have low tissue density, short tissue life span and high rates of resource acquisition and flux at organ and individual scales. The reverse is true for species with the slow strategy. Different traits may be important in different conditions, but as being fast in one respect generally requ...