Variation in plant functional traits is best explained by the species identity: stability of trait based species ranking across meadow management regimes

1. It is commonly assumed in trait-based studies that plant functional traits are species-specific, being more variable among species than among different environmental conditions. If the environment affects traits it is assumed that species react in a similar direction and conserve the functional distances. The rank of species based on the trait values is then unchanged, which justifies the use of species trait averages from database values. Such assumptions of species specificity are, however, increasingly disputed by studies showing overall high intraspecific trait variability. 2. To test the species specificity and ranking stability of functional traits we sampled plant individuals of almost all species (66 in total) within each plot of a long term (19 years) land use management experiment, which comprised a factorial combination of fertilization, mowing and removal of the dominant species Molinia caerulea in an oligotrophic wet meadow in the Czech Republic. Plant individuals were m...