This project aims to analyse the role of plant functional traits and trait variation for a mechanistic understanding of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.
Matrices of plant functional traits from the long-running experiment are analysed with statistical approaches to link species mean traits, trait variation and functional trait diversity to species and community performance, patterns of community assembly and ecosystem processes. In addition, this project investigates survival and performance of transplanted native and non-native invaders to test contrasting hypotheses on "diversity-invasion resistance" relationships.
