Strong patterns of intraspecific variation in seed and seedling traits

Local adaptation is pervasive in nature and plant populations frequently evolve traits that increase fitness in their local environment, leading to variation in traits across the landscape. This makes seed provenance a key factor in the success or failure of restoration projects. Selecting locally adapted propagules can increase plant establishment and have cascading impacts on community assembly. Beyond matching climates between sources and restoration sites, understanding the abundant trait variation among wild populations can further support efforts to source seeds for use in the most challenging restoration environments. Selecting locally adapted populations with promising traits could enhance restoration success.