Asterisks indicate a significant correlation between environmental
variables and functional traits (2-tailed)
(*P<0.05;**P<0.01;***P<0.001). Abbreviations: SWC, soil water
content; EC, electrical conductivity.
Significant regression relationships were only observed between
functional traits and electrical conductivity, and these relationships
were generally linear and logarithmic (Figure 2). For whole-plant traits
variables, significantly logarithmic relationships were only found
between the electrical conductivity and average height
(P<0.001) of P. australis . For leaf traits, significant
correlations were discovered in the relationship between electrical
conductivity and leaf water content (P<0.05), specific leaf
area (P<0.01), leaf area (P<0.001), and leaf
thickness (P<0.01). For stem traits, significant correlations
were observed between electrical conductivity and all selected stem
traits, including pitch number (P<0.001), internode height
(P<0.001), and base stem diameter (P<0.01).
Moreover, positive relationships between electrical conductivity with
leaf water content and leaf thickness were discovered.