Plant functional traits along an old-field succession in the high tropical Andes

This research paper analyzes plant functional traits in the high tropical Andes páramo during old-field secondary succession. The study finds that traits linked to rapid growth, such as specific leaf area and CO2 assimilation rates, dominate early succession and decrease over time, particularly in grasses. However, the study found no significant patterns in leaf water relations or the expected dominance of drought resistance traits in late successional stages.

• In the high tropical Andes páramo, plant traits associated with rapid growth—specifically specific leaf area (SLA), maximum CO2 assimilation rates (Amax), and leaf nitrogen content (Nleaf)—are dominant during the early stages of secondary succession. For grasses, clear trends were observed in SLA, Amax on a mass basis, Nleaf, and aboveground/belowground biomass allocation along the successional gradient, with SLA and CO2 assimilation rates decreasing as succession progresses.
• The study found no observed patterns in leaf water relations characteristics for either grasses or forbs. Additionally, contrary to previous research, traits related to drought resistance did not dominate the late stages of succession for either plant-growth form.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2025). Plant functional traits along an old-field succession in the high tropical Andes. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/plant-functional-traits-along-an-old-field-succession-in-the-high-tropical-andes/

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Plant functional traits along an old-field succession in the high tropical Andes. 2025. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/plant-functional-traits-along-an-old-field-succession-in-the-high-tropical-andes/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Plant functional traits along an old-field succession in the high tropical Andes |date=7 January 2025 |url=https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/plant-functional-traits-along-an-old-field-succession-in-the-high-tropical-andes/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2025plant, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Plant functional traits along an old-field succession in the high tropical Andes}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2025}, month = jan, url = {https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/plant-functional-traits-along-an-old-field-succession-in-the-high-tropical-andes/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }