José M. Gómez, Diane R. Campbell, Martina Stang, Jens Kattge, Justin P. Wright, Dirk Nikolaus Karger, Gregory M. Ames, Francisco Perfectti, Marcin Zych, Carlos Fonseca, Michael Kleyer, Helena Streit, Nina Sletvold, Jonas Kuppler, Ülo Niinemets, Deirdre Loughnan, Pedro Higuchi, Vanessa Minden, Antoine Guisan, Gerhard Boenisch, Amparo Lázaro, Valério D. Pillar, Liedson Tavares Carneiro, Isabel Alves-dos-Santos, Eduardo Chacón-Madrigal, Martin Lechleitner, Nathan J. B. Kraft, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Amy L. Parachnowitsch, Brian J. Enquist, David Schellenberger Costa, Robert R. Junker, W. S. Armbruster, Florian C. Boucher, Cécile H. Albert, Anne Amélie C. Larue-Kontić, Biology, Ulm University, Universität Ulm - Ulm University [Ulm, Allemagne], Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d'écologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Avignon Université (AU)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UMR237-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), North Carolina State University [Raleigh] (NC State), University of North Carolina System (UNC), University of Alaska [Fairbanks] (UAF), Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA ), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), University of California [Irvine] (UC Irvine), University of California (UC), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco [Recife] (UFPE), Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), Santa Fe Institute, Departamento de Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores [Porto] (DEEC), Universidade do Porto = University of Porto, Laboratoire de Mathématiques Nicolas Oresme (LMNO), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne (UNIL), Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Swiss Federal Research Institute, University of Oldenburg, University of California [Los Angeles] (UCLA), University of Salzburg, Universität Salzburg, Instituto de fisic Interdisciplinar y Sistemas Complejos ( IFISC (CSIC-UIB)), University of British Columbia [Vancouver], Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul [Porto Alegre] (UFRGS), Uppsala University, University of New Brunswick (UNB), Universidad de Granada = University of Granada (UGR), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte [Natal] (UFRN), Friedrich-Schiller-Universität = Friedrich Schiller University Jena [Jena, Germany], Department of Ecology and Genetics [Uppsala] (EBC), Universiteit Leiden, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, North Carolina Central University [Durham], University of Warsaw (UW), Philipps Universität Marburg = Philipps University of Marburg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UMR237-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Avignon Université (AU), Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica, Universidade do Porto, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU), Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Université de Lausanne (UNIL), Landscape Ecology Group, University of California, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Philipps University of Marburg
[Aim] Intraspecific trait variation (ITV) within natural plant communities can be large, influencing local ecological processes and dynamics. Here, we shed light on how ITV in vegetative and floral traits responds to large‐scale abiotic and biotic gradients (i.e., climate and species richness). Specifically, we tested whether associations of ITV with temperature, precipitation and species richness were consistent with any of four hypotheses relating to stress tolerance and competition. Furthermore, we estimated the degree of correlation between ITV in vegetative and floral traits and how they vary along the gradients., [Location] Global., [Time period] 1975–2016., [Major taxa studied] Herbaceous and woody plants., [Methods] We compiled a dataset of 18,401 measurements of the absolute extent of ITV (measured as the coefficient of variation) in nine vegetative and seven floral traits from 2,822 herbaceous and woody species at 2,372 locations., [Results] Large‐scale associations between ITV and climate were trait specific and more prominent for vegetative traits, especially leaf morphology, than for floral traits. The ITV showed pronounced associations with climate, with lower ITV values in colder areas and higher values in drier areas. The associations of ITV with species richness were inconsistent across traits. Species‐specific associations across gradients were often idiosyncratic, and covariation in ITV was weaker between vegetative and floral traits than within the two trait groups. [Main conclusions] Our results show that, depending on the traits considered, ITV either increased or decreased with climate stress and species richness, suggesting that both factors can constrain or enhance ITV, which might foster plant‐population persistence in stressful conditions. Given the species‐specific responses and covariation in ITV, associations can be hard to predict for traits and species not yet studied. We conclude that consideration of ITV can improve our understanding of how plants cope with stressful conditions and environmental change across spatial and biological scales., Open Access funding was provided by Ulm University under the DEAL‐agreement.