Functional coordination between leaf traits and biomass allocation and growth of four herbaceous species in a newly established reservoir riparian ecosystem in China.

Here, we linked the plant functional traits of four representative dominant C4 herbaceous species (Setaria viridis, Echinochloa crusgalli, Cynodon dactylon and Hemarthria altissima) to their relative growth rates (RGR) under ambient and elevated temperatures, with different nitrogen and phos phorus levels, to explore the potential mechanism of species growth in the newly established reservoir riparian ecosystem in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China. We grew seedlings of these species in four open-top chambers, with three levels of nutrient supplies under two temperature gradients (ambient temperature and an el evated temperature of 4°C). We found that the responses of the RGR and plant traits to soil N and P supply levels and temperature varied considerably among studied species.