Plant niche and functional traits

Plant selection in a changing climate is often informed by plant distribution and the realised niche of species. However, it is often not known to what degree the realised niche of a species actually corresponds to drought or heat tolerance. Plant functional traits can be used to describe the tolerances of species to heat or drought stress. Here we explore to what degree plant distribution and realised niche is linked to the expression and plasticity of plant functional traits that are linked to drought and heat tolerance, using Australian tree and shrub species as examples.