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The SIFOMed group aims to study the dynamics and function of Mediterranean forest systems, with a special focus on their response to different Global Change drivers (mainly climate change and invasive species). We conduct basic and applied research in plant community and ecosystem ecology, with relevant implications for the restoration and conservation of […] Mycorrhizal symbiosis is a mutualist association between plants and fungi which may be critical under stressful environmental conditions, like in Mediterranean forests constrained by water stress and resource scarcity. Researchers of the IRNAS-CSIC and the University of Córdoba have studied how the degrees of colonization by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal […] Plants, like so many organisms, have several specialized organs for different functions. Thus, the main role of leaves is light capture, while roots are related with soil water and nutrient uptake, and stems supply these water and nutrients to the leaves. According with their functional diversification, differences among organ characteristics could be expected. […] Understanding which factors govern the processes in plant communities constitutes one of the main challenges in ecology. The functional approach is a broadly-known key tool to better understand these issues; is based on the functional trait variation along environmental gradients. Thus, the functional approach allows as to discern the filtering mechanisms and the […] Understanding the proximate factors that govern the widespread mast-seeding process (i.e., the large interannual variability in seed production) is a question of considerable ecological and evolutionary interest that remains poorly understood. The identity and effect of these factors may vary among coexisting species that differ in leaf habit, potentially resulting in temporally asynchronous patterns of […] |