Evidence for the Existence of Three Primary Strategies in Plants and Its Relevance to Ecological and Evolutionary Theory

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Plant evolution may be associated with the emergence of 3 primary strategies, each of which may be identified by reference to a number of characteristics including morphological features, resource allocation, phenology and response to stress. The competitive strategy prevails in productive, relatively undisturbed vegetation, the stress-tolerant strategy is associated with continuously unproductive conditions and the ruderal strategy is characteristic of severely disturbed but potentially productive habitats. A triangular model based upon the 3 strategies is reconciled with the theory of r- and K-selection, provides an insight into the processes of vegetation succession and dominance and is capable of extension to fungi and to animals.