Adaptive strategies in plant life forms: assessing the variations in leaf ecological stoichiometry and functional traits

The study of leaf functional traits and leaf ecological stoichiometry is of great significance for understanding plant adaptation strategies and nutrient uptake and utilization. In order to explore the adaptation mechanism of different life types to humid and hot subtropical environment, this study analyzed the leaf functional traits and ecological stoichiometric characteristics and associations of different life types of plants (trees, shrubs and herbs) with 54 common subtropical plants as research objects. The results showed that there were significant differences in leaf functional traits among different life types, and specific leaf area and leaf water content were the key functional traits to regulate ecological stoichiometry. Different life types of plants have different regulation patterns, and they adopt different ecological strategies to adapt to the heterogeneity of subtropical environment. In general, herbs showed a “fast – return on investment” strategy, and trees tended to be “slow – return on investment” strategy.