Functional Trait and Spatial Distribution Variations Are Modulated by the Bulb Storage in Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn

ABSTRACT The hysteranthous geophyte Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn is a medicinal plant of ecological significance. This species inhabits open gaps within the southern Mediterranean mountain range of the Al‐Akhdar region in northwestern Libya. We combined demographic and functional trait measurements with structural equation modelling to compare D. maritima populations between wadi and mountain slope habitats. Spatial point pattern analysis was used to examine within‐population spatial distribution, clonal reproduction and interspecific interactions. Our results revealed that variation in bulb size (storage) was associated with distinct life strategies and spatial distributions in both habitats. In the wadi site, individuals prioritized shoot growth and reproduction over bulb storage. In contrast, individuals on the mountain slope prioritized bulb storage over shoot growth and reproductive output. Clonal reproduction in the slope population compensated for lower reproductive output and resulted in a clumped spatial pattern. Conversely, the absence of clonal growth in the wadi population was offset by higher reproductive output, leading to a random spatial distribution. These divergent functional strategies between wadi and slope populations provide key evidence for ongoing niche divergence in D. maritima . We propose that bulb size acts as a mediator of environmental stress, modulating the species' response towards either a conservative or a synergistic strategy. Our findings improve our ability to predict plant species responses to future climate change scenarios, particularly in terms of functional strategies and spatial distribution.