Plant trait responses to variation in N and P availability

Global change drivers such as eutrophication and plant invasions will create novel environments for many plant species. Through adaptive trait plasticity plants may maintain their performance under these novel conditions and may outcompete those showing low adaptive trait plasticity. In a greenhouse study, we determined if plasticity in traits is adaptive or maladaptive in endangered, non-endangered and invasive plant species in response to variation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability (N:P ratios 1.7, 15 and 135) and whether plastic trait responses are adaptive and/or costly for fitness (i.e. biomass).
Species choice comprised 17 species from three functional groups (legumes, non-legume forbs and grasses), either classified as endangered, non-endangered or invasive. After two months plants were harvested and nine traits related to carbon assimilation and nutrient uptake were measured (leaf area, SLA, LDMC, SPAD, RMR, root length, SRL, root surface area and PME activity).
..., The dataset contains plant trait information of 17 annual species (grasses, non-legume forbs, legumes). Plants were raised in a greenhouse and exposed to N (nitrogen) limitation, P (phosphorus) limitation, and a balanced supply of both N and P. After eight weeks, plants were harvested and traits were measured. 
General information: Family (Poaceae, Onagraceae, Fabaceae), Maturity (all plants mature at time of harvest), Status (plant species considered either invasive, endangered or non-endangered in central Europe), Plant Growth Form (grass, non-legume forb, forb), Life Span (annual), Start experiment (start date for each individual), End experiment (date of harvest for each individual), Treatment (N limitation, balanced nutrient supply, P limitation), total.supply.rate.N.mg (total amount of N supplied to each individual in the course of the experiment, i.e. 121.5mg, 40.5mg, 13.5mg) total.supply.rate.P.mg (total amount of P supplied to each individual in the course of the experiment, i...., ,