Datasets for Environmental Stress Shifts Growth Strategies of Oak and Heath Shrubs in the Florida Scrub, 2022-2026

We measured aboveground and belowground traits across six common Florida scrub shrub species in two major groups, oaks (Quercus spp., Fagaceae) and heaths (Ericaceae), along an elevational stress gradient. For each species, we measured a suite of aboveground (all species) and belowground (oaks only) plant functional traits in two or more different habitats along an elevational stress gradient (flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, and rosemary scrub). Some aboveground traits such as leaf circularity and stomatal density significantly decreased with stress. Belowground, we found decreases in specific root length and increases in ectomycorrhizal tip density with stress.