Leaf trait responses of temperate trees and vines to experimental soil warming in a Georgia Piedmont forest

Representing some of the most ecologically and economically important terrestrial ecosystems on the planet, forests are being heavily impacted by global change. Warming temperatures and shifting precipitation regimes threaten to exacerbate plant stress and induce community composition changes. The combination of these factors will likely alter important biogeochemical cycles, especially terrestrial carbon sequestration. Here, we use a long-term, in situ soil warming experiment to investigate how leaf traits of temperate forest species, particularly smaller juvenile trees and vines, may respond to abiotic environmental changes, including soil temperature, soil moisture, and light availability. Leaf size (area and thickness) was not heavily impacted by changing environmental conditions, though results suggest a possible differentiation in the responses of pioneer versus shade-tolerant species. We also found a strong correlation between stem diameter, and to a lesser extent, lead stem length, with leaf area, suggesting an important covarying factor to consider in the future.