Shift of seed mass and fruit type spectra along longitudinal gradient: High water availability and growth allometry

CE1 Propagule traits vary among biomes along geographical gradients such as longitude, but the mechanisms that underlie these variations remain unclear. This study aims to explore seed mass variation patterns of different biome types along a longitudinal gradient and their underlying variation mechanisms by involving an in-depth analysis on the variation of seed mass, fruit type spectra, growth forms and dispersal mode spectra in Inner Mongolia and northeastern China. Plant community characterization and seed collection were conducted in 26 sites spreading over five vegetation types and covering 622 species belonging to 66 families and 298 genera. We found there are significantly declining trends for mean seed mass, vertebrate-dispersed species richness and fleshy-fruited species richness along a longitudinal gradient from forests to desert grasslands. However, we also found the lowest average seed mass and the smallest proportion of species dispersed by vertebrates occurring at typical..., , Please see the README document (\"README_Dataset_Seed mass for species in Inner Mongolia) and the accompanying published article: Yu SL, Wang GX, Katz O, Li DF, Wang QB, Yue M., Liu CR. 2021. Shift of seed mass and fruit type spectra along longitudinal gradient: high water availability and growth allometry. Biogeoscience 18: 655-667. Published. DOI: 10.1007/bg-2019-479.