The need to understand and predict ecosystem responses to global change, and its impacts on the interconnected carbon, water, and nutrient cycles, is more pressing than ever. As terrestrial ecosystems face increasing exposure to climate stressors such as drought, heat, or disturbance, improving our understanding of vegetation functioning, both above- and belowground, is critical for enhancing the predictive capacity of our forecast tools.
This session focuses on vegetation functional responses to global change, with particular emphasis on above- and belowground processes under stress and the interactions between them. Because these components are tightly coupled, through processes such as carbon allocation, water uptake, and nutrient exchange, studying both is essential to fully understand vegetation function, resistance, and resilience under environmental stress. We aim to foster discussion on how plant traits, physiological responses, plasticity, biodiversity, and ecosystem processes are affected by stress, and how these responses scale from individuals to entire ecosystems.
We welcome studies across a range of scales and methods, from greenhouse and mesocosm experiments to large-scale field manipulations, remote sensing, and process-based modelling. We particularly encourage contributions presenting novel ideas and hypotheses, including those from early-career researchers, and aim to create a space where such ideas can be discussed openly.
Jordi Martínez-Vilalta