Plant Traits & Functional Ecology

Plant functional traits, measurable features such as leaf structure, wood anatomy, and phenology—are key to understanding how plants acquire resources, compete, and influence ecosystem processes. Recent research links global trait variation to life-history strategies, biodiversity patterns, and ecosystem multifunctionality, revealing how traits mediate responses to climate change, extreme events, and biotic homogenisation. Advances in remote sensing now enable mapping of canopy traits across seasons and biomes, though the relationship between spectral and functional diversity remains complex. By integrating trait datasets, ecological theory, and emerging technologies, functional ecology is improving our ability to predict plant and ecosystem responses in a rapidly changing world.

Featured Publications

The global spectrum of plant form and function: enhanced species-level trait dataset
Sandra Díaz, et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01774-9
This study presents a comprehensive dataset encompassing six key plant traits—plant height, stem specific density, leaf area, leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen content per dry mass, and diaspore mass—sourced from approximately one million trait records via the TRY database. These traits define the primary axes of variation in plant form and function, offering a global perspective on plant diversity and ecological strategies.

Plant functional traits have globally consistent effects on competition
Georges Kunstler, Daniel Falster, David A. Coomes, et al.
DOI: 10.1038/nature16476
Utilizing growth data from over 3 million trees across more than 140,000 plots worldwide, this research demonstrates that three key functional traits—wood density, specific leaf area, and seed mass—consistently influence plant competition. These traits shape community assembly and biodiversity patterns globally, highlighting their ecological significance.

Functional susceptibility of tropical forests to climate change
Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez, Erika Berenguer, Imma Oliveras Menor, et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01747-6
This study assesses how the functional diversity and redundancy of tropical forests influence their resilience to climate change. The findings suggest that forests with higher functional diversity and redundancy are better equipped to withstand climatic disturbances, emphasizing the importance of functional traits in forest conservation strategies.

Canopy functional trait variation across Earth’s tropical forests
Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez, et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08663-2
By integrating field-collected data from over 1,800 vegetation plots with satellite remote-sensing, terrain, climate, and soil data, this research maps the variation of 13 morphological, structural, and chemical functional traits across tropical forests. The study reveals distinct functional trait distributions across tropical regions, providing insights into biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

Predicting leaf traits of temperate broadleaf deciduous trees from hyperspectral reflectance: can a general model be applied across a growing season?
Litong Chen, Yi Zhang, Matheus Henrique Nunes, Jaz Stoddart, Sacha Khoury, Aland H.Y. Chan, David A. Coomes
DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2021.112767
This study investigates the applicability of hyperspectral reflectance spectroscopy for predicting key foliar traits—such as leaf nitrogen content, chlorophyll concentration, and leaf mass per area—across the growing season in temperate broadleaf deciduous trees. By employing partial least squares regression (PLSR) models, the research assesses the transferability of these models across different phenological stages, providing insights into the feasibility of using remote sensing for monitoring plant functional traits over time.