Leaf and bark functional traits predict resprouting strategies of understory woody species after prescribed fires

摘要

In temperate forests, both deciduous and evergreen species with small or large leaves coexist in the understory and resprout after prescribed burnings. This diversity of traits suggests that there are different strategies operating after the initial resprout growth to re-acquire space, capture resources and resist additional stresses. This study aims to understand resprout vigor 3 years after burning of woody understory species with different leaf traits and bark investment (i.e., the ratio between bark thickness and basal stem diameter).