Linking trait network parameters with plant growth across light gradients and seasons

1. Reduced light availability induced by eutrophication has dramatically affected the growth of submerged macrophytes and caused their rapid decline globally in lakes. Functional traits have usually been used to predict ecological processes and explain plant adaptation. Trait networks, which are constructed from a series of nodes (traits) and edges (trait-trait correlations), can reveal complex relationships among traits. Plant traits belonging to different organs are considered relevant for overall plant performance. Therefore, variation in trait network topology at the whole-plant level can better reflect plant adaptation and response to environments than traditional methods, but the mechanisms underlying the decline of plants from a trait network perspective are not well understood. 2. In this study, based on a one-year manipulation experiment for Potamogeton maackianus cultured with four levels of light intensity, we constructed trait networks from 20 traits belonging to different o..., ,1. 富营养化引发的光照可利用性降低，已严重抑制沉水植物（submerged macrophytes）的生长，并导致全球湖泊中的沉水植物快速衰退。功能性状（Functional traits）通常被用于预测生态过程、阐释植物的适应性机制。由一系列节点（性状）与边（性状间关联）构建而成的性状网络（Trait networks），能够揭示性状间的复杂关联关系。隶属于不同器官的植物性状与植株整体性能息息相关。因此，相较于传统研究方法，整株水平下的性状网络拓扑结构变异，能够更精准地反映植物对环境的适应与响应，但从性状网络视角解析植物衰退的内在机制，目前仍未得到充分阐释。 2. 本研究以微齿眼子菜（Potamogeton maackianus）为实验材料，设置四个光照强度梯度开展了为期一年的操控实验，最终基于20个来自不同[原文此处截断]的性状构建了性状网络。