Still standing: persistence traits capture belowground plant functions beyond resource exploration and acquisition
Belowground plant trait research has predominantly focused on trade-offs in fine-root traits via the root economics space (RES). Yet, this fine-root framework captures only a fraction of the functional strategies plants employ beneath the soil surface. Here, we broaden the perspective on belowground plant functioning by integrating traits related to root system extent, clonality, and bud banks, using data from the new UNDERPLOT dataset. This integration links measurable traits to key belowground functions: resource acquisition, spatial exploration, and persistence. Our analysis shows that the fine-root economics space explains less than 5% of the variation in traits related to root system extent, clonality, and bud banks. Instead, an expanded trait analysis reveals three significant dimensions, explaining 62% of total trait variation. The third dimension represents an independent, persistence-related gradient, not captured by existing root economics frameworks. We propose that understanding belowground plant strategies requires embracing additional functional gradients. The strategy of persistence, in particular, varies significantly across growth forms and is a critical dimension of plant response to resource limitation and stress, becoming increasingly important as global change shifts disturbance regimes.
Authors
- Aline Bertolosi Bombo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2292-4031)
- Alexandra Weigelt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6242-603X)
- Frances Siebert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5549-8211)
- Karl Andraczek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2711-3326)
- Daniel C. Laughlin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9651-5732)
- Jitka Klimešová (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0123-3263)
- Shersingh Joseph Tumber‐Dávila (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7336-3943)
- Saheed Olaide Jimoh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3238-9079)
- Liesje Mommer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3775-0716)
- Cody Coyotee Howard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7662-9102)
- Joana Bergmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2008-4198)
- Ying Fan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0024-7965)
- Justus Hennecke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6839-2333)
- Tsumbedzo Ramalevha
- Lena Hartmann
- Alessandra Fidelis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9545-2285)
- Grégoire T Freschet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8830-3860)
- Helge Bruelheide (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3135-0356)
Institutions
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- University of Central Florida (US)
- Dartmouth College (US)
- University of Wyoming (US)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Charles University (CZ)
- North-West University (ZA)
- Luther University (KR)
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (DE)
- Institute of Botany of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK)
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (DE)
- Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (US)
- South African Environmental Observation Network (ZA)
- Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale (FR)
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (DE)
- Rice University (US)
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) (BR)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
- Leipzig University (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- New Phytologist
- Published
- 2026-09-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.71544
- Primary Topic
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Laboratoire d'Excellence TULIP
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Akademie Věd České Republiky
- Deutsches Zentrum für integrative Biodiversitätsforschung Halle-Jena-Leipzig