Functional trait variation of Anemone nemorosa along macro‐ and microclimatic gradients close to the northern range edge

Climate warming is affecting ecosystems worldwide, and slow-colonizing forest under- storey species are particularly vulnerable if they are unable to track climate change. However, species’ responses to climatic conditions in terms of growth, reproduction and colonization capacity may vary with the distance to their distribution range edge. Anemone nemorosa is known to be a slow colonizing forest herb dependent on forest cover in the southern and central part of its distribution range, whereas at its northern distribution range (and at higher elevations) it also occurs in open habitats. Here, we investigated the response of plant functional traits of Anemone nemorosa in cen- tral Norway (close to its northern distribution range edge) to a macroclimatic gra- dient (elevation), two microclimatic gradients (forest density and distance to forest edge) and a competition treatment (removal of neighbouring vegetation). We aimed to identify which environmental conditions (light, temperature, so...