Plastic response in amphibious plant functional traits along a latitudinal (climate) gradient

This dataset supports an investigation into the variation of vegetative
and reproductive traits of six plant species characteristic of
Mediterranean temporary ponds, Baldellia ranunculoides, Damasonium
bourgaei, Damasonium polyspermum, Elatine brochonii, and Isoetes velata,
across a 750-km north-south latitudinal (climate) gradient (31°-35° N) in
Morocco (mean annual precipitation range 264 to 856 mm). Selected
vegetative (height, number of leaves, leaf area) and reproductive (number
of fruits, number of seeds/spores per fruit, number of seeds/spores per
plant, seed/spore size and seed mass) traits of these six species were
assessed on both field-collected specimens and on plants grown from
seeds/spores in mesocosms under uniform experimental conditions. We
hypothesized that the observed differences in functional traits
(vegetative and reproductive) among populations mainly reflect phenotypic
plasticity to variable environmental conditions. This work was possible
thanks to the scientific permit (N° 241 HCEFLCD/DLCDPN/DPRN/CFF) granted
by the Agence Nationale des Eaux et Forêts (Morocco).