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Annals of Botany 91: 455-463, 2003
© 2003 Annals of Botany Company

REVIEW

Effects of Plant Traits on Ecosystem and Regional Processes: a Conceptual Framework for Predicting the Consequences of Global Change

F. STUART CHAPIN, III*1

1 Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA

* For correspondence. Fax 001 907 474 6967, e-mail terry.chapin{at}uaf.edu

Received: 9 April 2002; Returned for revision: 9 July 2002; Accepted: 27 November 2002

Human activities are causing widespread changes in the species composition of natural and managed ecosystems, but the consequences of these changes are poorly understood. This paper presents a conceptual framework for predicting the ecosystem and regional consequences of changes in plant species composition. Changes in species composition have greatest ecological effects when they modify the ecological factors that directly control (and respond to) ecosystem processes. These interactive controls include: functional types of organisms present in the ecosystem; soil resources used by organisms to grow and reproduce; modulators such as microclimate that influence the activity of organisms; disturbance regime; and human activities. Plant traits related to size and growth rate are particularly important because they determine the productive capacity of vegetation and the rates of decomposition and nitrogen mineralization. Because the same plant traits affect most key processes in the cycling of carbon and nutrients, changes in plant traits tend to affect most biogeochemical cycling processes in parallel. Plant traits also have landscape and regional effects through their effects on water and energy exchange and disturbance regime.

Key words: Review, biomass, climate change, decomposition, ecosystem processes, energy exchange, functional types, global change, nitrogen mineralization, plant traits, productivity.


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