Ecophysiological characteristics and CSR strategies of four dune species

Plants that live in coastal dune ecosystems may develop several strategies to deal with environmental stress. The aim of this study was to compare contents of nonenzymatic antioxidants including chlorophyll, carotenoid, anthocyanin and total phenolic compounds, and CSR (competitive, stress-tolerant, ruderal) strategy types of four dune species: Pancratium maritimum, Eryngium maritimum, Polygonum maritimum and Achillea maritima subsp. maritima. CSR strategies were determined using canopy height, leaf dry matter content, flowering period, flowering initiation, leaf dry weight, lateral spread, and specific leaf area (SLA). The lowest values for all measured parameters were found in Pancratium maritimum, while the highest contents of chlorophyll a, carotenoid, anthocyanin and total phenolic compounds were in Polygonum maritimum. The studied species had different ecological strategies to cope with stressful environmental conditions.