The effect of Andropogon gerardii ecotype on species composition and functional trait variation in a prairie community.

Functional traits for six native tallgrass prairie species were analyzed to determine if there was an effect of A. gerardii ecotype on both within- and between-species functional trait variability. We found that within-species functional trait variation was highest among species in plots planted with non-locally adapted ecotypes of A. gerardii and higher among subordinate rather than dominant species across ecotype plots.