Decoupling between soil moisture and biomass drives seasonal variations in live fuel moisture across co-occurring plant functional types

Abstract Background Wildfires are important global disturbances influencing ecosystem structure and composition. The moisture content of living senescent plant components key determinants wildfire activity, yet our understanding how seasonal fluctuations in water availability biomass control live foliar (LFMC) across co-occurring functional types is limited diverse forested landscapes. Results We recorded root-zone volumetric (VWC) sampled leaf mass area (LMA) LFMC three six field sites. used a linear mixed effects model to quantify the drivers understand whether dynamics were coupled or decoupled from site conditions. Both LMA VWC significant predictors variability ( p < 0.001), although strength direction these relationships varied types. understorey strongly conditions, where random effect explained 44.2% (shrub) 74.8% (herb) season respectively. In contrast, overstorey plants which only 8.1% LFMC. Conclusions responded changes soil (VWC), while trees (LMA). present conceptual describing influence factors on LFMC, aligns with findings draws broader literature. This knowledge approach can be improve ability characterize variation different types, turn improving capacity predict risk.