Species traits interact with stress level to determine intraspecific facilitation and competition

Questions Flooding and drought stress are expected to increase significantly across the world plant responses these abiotic changes may be mediated by plant–plant interactions. Stress tolerance recovery often require a biomass investment that have consequences for Therefore, we questioned whether phenotypic plasticity in response flooding affected balance between competition facilitation species with specific adaptations or flooding. Location Utrecht University. Methods Stem elongation, root porosity, root:shoot ratio production were measured six during drought, well-drained submerged conditions when grown alone together conspecifics. We quantified as ‘neighbour intensity effect’ directly after 10-day treatment again seven-day period conditions. Results Water stress, planting density identity interactively standardized stem elongation way could lead submergence preferably grow wet soils. Root porosity was interaction neighbour presence time-step. Plant traits only slightly drought. The calculated effect indicated wetland and, recover from flooding, prefer dry habitats. Conclusions Our results imply changing interactions lesser extent should considered predicting vegetation dynamics due hydroclimatic regimes. Moreover, enable maladapted persist.