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Background and aims: Hyperaccumulator plants exhibit extreme ecophysiological characteristics, which make them suited for phytoremediation. Understanding their ecological strategies might help identify the species and functions to be favored in phytoremediation, restoration, and conservation projects for metalliferous sites. Methods: Here, we identified the hyperaccumulator species in the worldwide plant trait database TRY and cross-referenced these trait syndromes associated with the ability of plants to concentrate metals. This allows us to link trace element hyperaccumulation with broader plant ecological strategies. Results: Hyperaccumulator plant species tend to have smaller leaves and poorer competitive ability compared to non-hyperaccumulator plant species. Contrary to expectations, we found no indication of hyperaccumulator plants being more resource-conservative on the leaf economics spectrum. However, these data remain fragmentary as only 2.7% of hyperaccumulator plant species have their traits published in the TRY database. Conclusion: The recent development of trait-based models to construct plant communities providing optimal ecosystem services (e.g., phytoremediation, restoration) requires further research to identify predictable trait-service relationships. We thus call for an international collaborative sampling effort to measure traits in more hyperaccumulator plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A longstanding research divide exists in plant ecology: either focusing on plant clonality, with no ambition to address nonclonal plants, or focusing on all plants, ignoring that many ecological processes can be affected by the fact that some plants are clonal while others are not. This gap cascades into a lack of distinction and knowledge about the similarities and differences between clonal and nonclonal plants. Here we aim to bridge this gap by identifying areas that would benefit from the incorporation of clonal growth into one integrated research platform: namely, response to productivity and disturbance, biotic interactions, and population dynamics. We are convinced that this will provide a roadmap to gain valuable insights into the ecoevolutionary dynamics relevant to all plants. Clonal plants can represent a substantial proportion of species in floras and plant communities. Because they share several functions that are not present in nonclonal plants, the differences in their proportions are likely to scale up as community and ecosystem differences. Clonal reproduction is provided by specialized organs that directly or indirectly affect other plant traits. Clonal growth organs usually serve for the storage of carbohydrates and the buildup of the bud bank, both necessary for resprouting in recurrently disturbed habitats. These storage organs affect global carbon cycling. Clonal growth leads to increased plant size in the horizontal dimension and to different degrees of ramet aggregation that influence the exploration of soil resources, pollination, and biotic interactions. Clonal growth serves as a reproductive insurance mechanism that further affects plant demography and possible evolutionary rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The effects of plants on the biosphere, atmosphere and geosphere are key determinants of terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, despite substantial progress made regarding plant belowground components, we are still only beginning to explore the complex relationships between root traits and functions. Drawing on the literature in plant physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy and soil science, we reviewed 24 aspects of plant and ecosystem functioning and their relationships with a number of root system traits, including aspects of architecture, physiology, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics and biotic interactions. Based on this assessment, we critically evaluated the current strengths and gaps in our knowledge, and identify future research challenges in the field of root ecology. Most importantly, we found that belowground traits with the broadest importance in plant and ecosystem functioning are not those most commonly measured. Also, the estimation of trait relative importance for functioning requires us to consider a more comprehensive range of functionally relevant traits from a diverse range of species, across environments and over time series. We also advocate that establishing causal hierarchical links among root traits will provide a hypothesis‐based framework to identify the most parsimonious sets of traits with the strongest links on functions, and to link genotypes to plant and ecosystem functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plant stoichiometric coupling among all elements is fundamental to maintaining growth‐related ecosystem functions. However, our understanding of nutrient balance in response to global changes remains greatly limited to plant carbon : nitrogen : phosphorus (C : N : P) coupling.Here we evaluated nine element stoichiometric variations with one meta‐analysis of 112 global change experiments conducted across global terrestrial ecosystems and one synthesis over 1900 species observations along natural environment gradients across China.We found that experimentally increased soil N and P respectively enhanced plant N : potassium (K), N : calcium (Ca) and N : magnesium (Mg), and P : K, P : Ca and P : Mg, and natural increases in soil N and P resulted in qualitatively similar responses. The ratios of N and P to base cations decreased both under experimental warming and with naturally increasing temperature. With decreasing precipitation, these ratios increased in experiments but decreased under natural environments. Based on these results, we propose a new stoichiometric framework in which all plant element contents and their coupling are not only affected by soil nutrient availability, but also by plant nutrient demand to maintain diverse functions under climate change.This study offers new insights into understanding plant stoichiometric variations across a full set of mineral elements under global changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional biogeography has advanced the field of functional ecology into a more spatially predictive science. However, freshwater plants are still underrepresented in these trait based advancements. Here, we argue that there is a need for developing a functional biogeographical framework for freshwater plants and initiate global mapping efforts focusing on the form and function of freshwater plants. Specific attention should be given to (1) the placement of freshwater plants in the global plant trait space and show how this placement links to global trait environment relationships; (2) the theoretical framework for major structural trait trait correlations based on the physical constraints in aquatic ecosystems; (3) the evolutionary and environmental drivers underlying the global distribution of inter and intra specific variation in different life forms; and (4) the level of equilibrium between spatial and temporal trait environment relationships in freshwater plants. By putting freshwater plants in the context of these spatial aspects, we could advance our understanding of freshwater plant adaptations and responses to environmental gradients, and thereby facilitate predicting the consequences of global changes for freshwater ecosystem functions and services. [Display omitted] • Freshwater plants have been underexamined in the context of functional biogeography. • Global mapping efforts focusing on their form and function are needed. • This will help advance our understanding of freshwater plant unique adaptations. • Such an exercise will be accomplished by the MAP Project (www.lifeinmud.com/map). • We are recruiting collaborators from around the world, starting in late 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]