Plant Traits That Promote Growth and Enhance Survival

Abstract

Abstract The classical approach to measuring plant growth rate likened it to compound growth rates of bank accounts, where the rate of increase in plant biomass is proportional to the amount of biomass already present in the plant, implying that plant growth is exponential. It was determined that variation in relative growth rate (RGR) among herbaceous plants was driven by the leaf area ratio (LAR)—and more specifically—specific leaf area (SLA). The classic growth equations are confounded by plant size. While exponential growth may be true for the early stages of growth in herbaceous plants, plants tend to experience reduced RGRs as they approach their maximum size, especially when growing with neighbors. The relationship between SLA and growth rate shifts from positive in seedlings to non-significant in adult plants. Wood density exhibits consistently negative effects on growth rates across ontogeny. The positive relationship between maximum height and growth rate is most significant in adult size classes. The growth–survival trade-off is one of the most well-recognized trade-offs in ecology. Species that grow fast when resources are abundant die when resources are scarce, and species that survive when resources are scarce grow slowly when resources are abundant. Bud banks promote perennation, survival, and longevity. The plant coroner needs to declare that all meristems on an individual plant are dead before they can declare that the plant is dead—a rather tall order.