DOI: 10.5061/dryad.rg073
title: Data from: Implications of plant functional traits and drought survival strategies for ecological restoration

description: 1. Restoration of degraded grasslands through active revegetation often
 involves reestablishing populations of native grasses, which must
 withstand increasing drought stress to persist beyond initial
 establishment.. In perennial species, superior dehydration tolerance is
 expected to result in more conservative growth, but this tradeoff has
 seldom been studied among populations of herbaceous species. 2. We
 measured seasonal growth and foliar and root functional traits under
 non-limiting water conditions, followed by recovery after severe drought
 in four populations of Elymus glaucus, a perennial grass from California’s
 Mediterranean-climate region. We hypothesized that populations from
 harsher sites would be more dehydration tolerant, summer dormant, and
 resource-conservative. 3. Dehydration tolerance and summer dormancy were
 associated with a more conservative strategy (lower productivity, lower
 Specific Leaf Area and Specific Root Length), as well as earlier
 reproductive phenology. 4. Multivariate trait variation was associated
 with water availability in both the growing season and summer, while
 greater dehydration tolerance and summer dormancy were associated with
 increasing summer climatic water deficit. 5. Synthesis and applications:
 Our study provides evidence of an intraspecific tradeoff between
 dehydration tolerance and rapid resource acquisition. We discuss the
 implication that restored populations with superior drought survival may
 therefore be less competitive, and recommend further investigation to
 inform plant materials selection protocols and management
 practices.26-Jun-2017
description: Environmental_and_bioclim_varsBioclim and other environmental variables (e.g., CWD) used in trait-environment PCA.Data_CA_Drought_winrhizoRoot trait data. Roots were grown and collected in greenhouse rhizotrons and images were analyzed using Whinrhizo software.Data_CA_Drought_LeafTraitsFoliar trait and productivity data collected in greenhouse; includes additional species beyond Elymus glaucus covered in this paper.Data_CA_Drought_potmoistureSoil moisture depletion measured in greenhouse during simulated drought as an indicator of summer water use. Contains additional species beyond Elymus glaucus considered in this paper.DataCADrought_rootbioRoot biomass measured from plants grown in greenhouse rhizotrons. Contains additional species beyond Elymus glaucus.Data_CA_Drought_irrigatedbiomassBiomass of plants kept fully irrigated during summer and used to assess summer dormancy. Contains data on additional species beyond Elymus glaucus.emax_rootRoot elongation rate measured on plants grown in greenhouse rhizotrons. Additional species included. Tube numbers correspond to those in file "Data CA Drought winrhizo." Column headings correspond to number of days after seasonal measurements began (preceded by letter 'X')emax_table_sumSummer leaf elongation rate measured on plants grown in greenhouse. Additional species included. Pot numbers correspond to those in file "Data CA Drought FoliarTraits." Column headings correspond to number of days after seasonal measurements began (preceded by letter 'X')emax_table_sprSpring leaf elongation rate measured on plants grown in greenhouse. Additional species included. Pot numbers correspond to those in file "Data CA Drought FoliarTraits." Column headings correspond to number of days after seasonal measurements began (preceded by letter 'X')emax_table_winWinter leaf elongation rate measured on plants grown in greenhouse. Additional species included. Pot numbers correspond to those in file "Data CA Drought FoliarTraits." Column headings correspond to number of days after seasonal measurements began (preceded by letter 'X')emax_table_autAutumn leaf elongation rate measured on plants grown in greenhouse. Additional species included. Pot numbers correspond to those in file "Data CA Drought FoliarTraits." Column headings correspond to number of days after seasonal measurements began (preceded by letter 'X')