Beyond the fundamental niche: Drought response and resource acquisition strategies of shrubs for urban plantings

Vegetation in low maintenance urban sites is becoming increasingly simplified, characterised by swathes of grassy monocots with limited structural, life form and botanical diversity. One way to increase diversity is the use of naturalistic meadow style plantings. In their natural ecosystems, many of these plants are able to regenerate after disturbance, making them highly suitable for use in urban plantings. We tested such species and found that the fundamental niche was poorly related to their drought tolerance and resource acquisition strategies. Species for new urban plantings should therefore be selected using physiological strategies or traits related to stress tolerance.