Variations in functional traits and adaptive strategies of lianas and trees across an elevational gradient in southwestern China

This study was conducted in three typical forest ecosystems in Yunnan Province, southwestern China, encompassing a low-elevation tropical seasonal rainforest (Xishuangbanna, 580 m), a mid-elevation subtropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest (Ailao Mountain, 2450 m), and a high-elevation subalpine cold-temperate coniferous forest (Lijiang, 3200–3500 m). A total of 60 woody species were selected, including 30 liana species and 30 tree species, with three individuals sampled per species, yielding functional trait data from 180 individuals in total. The measured traits encompassed ten functional traits across three categories: leaf morphological traits (specific leaf area, leaf thickness, and leaf density), leaf chemical stoichiometric traits (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentrations, as well as N:P ratio), and branch hydraulic traits (wood density, vessel density, and vessel diameter). The dataset can be applied to multidimensional trait integration analyses, tests of leaf-branch coordination, functional diversity assessments, and comparisons of trait network topological structures, providing a systematic trait basis for elucidating the divergent adaptive strategies of lianas and trees along environmental gradients.