Currently, plant ecological research is aimed at analysing the co-variation patterns in functional plant traits at an intraspecific level (i.e., within species). So far, these studies were analyzed only at the interspecific level, identifying a global pattern of trait variation along wide environmental gradients. Nevertheless, a growing number of experimental evidences highlighted that intraspecific variability is a component not at all negligible. To identify the source of functional trait variation, there is need of a better understanding, eventually leading to re-define the identified global pattern. Plant performance in an ecological context depends on plant capacity to acquire and use resources over the time. A direct expression of investment strategies resulting from different selective pressures is given by the relative amount of biomass present in the various organs i.e. biomass allocation. Biomass allocation, measured for each individual by biomass fractions or ratios, reflects plant capacity to uptake resources, especially water and nutrients, assuming therefore an important functional meaning. In this general context, this proposal aims at investigating the intraspecific variability in biomass allocation traits under water and nutrient stress to evaluate their ecological implication on plant capacity to counteract environmental stressors. Specifically, the proposal focuses on Mediterranean plant species that are a good model to study the population level of the intraspecific variability, as they experience different selective pressures due to remarkable environmental heterogeneity that promotes variability and can be a driver for species to promote a high phenotypic plasticity degree, mirrored in the different populations. Overall, the expected results of this project will allow to make more realistic previsions on the capacity of the Mediterranean species to persist under new climatic conditions.
