New method for rapid assessment of the functional composition of herbaceous plant communities.

We propose a rapid sampling method to assess the functional composition of herbaceous plant communities without prior knowledge of the floristic composition. To determine the community-level value of traits (‘aggregated trait values’) for a plant community, a standardized population-centred method exists, but requires substantial manpower and reliable botanical knowledge. We tested an alternative method, the trait transect, using four subalpine pastures in the Beaufortain region (Northern French Alps) selected along a fertility gradient. We applied both methods to measure five commonly used ‘soft traits’ known to be responsive to soil nutrient availability: plant vegetative and reproductive height, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter and nitrogen contents. We tested whether the variation of these traits along the gradient detected with the population-centred method was also detected with the trait transect. Both methods detected expected trends in the traits in response to the fertility gradient. The trait transect method was as efficient as the population-centred method and is recommended as an appropriate tool for monitoring ecosystem changes in response to environmental conditions and management, especially in species-rich communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]