Functional traits of Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae) young plants in montane and submontane forests

Understanding the environmental factors that influence the survival of individuals at early developmental stages of tropical plant species is essential for their conservation. However, most studies on functional traits in plants focus on comparisons based on a single ontogenetic stage, limiting knowledge about trait variation across stages and in different environmental conditions. This study aims to investigate the morphological and physiological functional traits of individuals from two early ontogenetic stages of Euterpe edulis (Juvenile I and Juvenile II) originating from two elevation sites, a submontane forest and a montane forest, and to identify which functional traits contribute to the clustering of the sampled individuals. Leaves from 30 individuals of each stage in each environment were sampled, totaling 120. Morphological and chlorophyll fluorescence physiological traits were measured. Cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and either two-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed. Morphological and physiological traits exhibited dependency on elevation and ontogenetic stage. Juvenile I and Juvenile II individuals from the montane forest showed similar physiological trait values. In contrast, in the submontane forest, Juvenile I individuals displayed distinct physiological responses compared to Juvenile II, indicating higher stress levels. Cluster and discriminant analyses indicated greater similarity among Juvenile II individuals, regardless of the environment. The montane forest site appears to be a less stressful environment for E. edulis . With increasing drought frequency and intensity due to climate change, humid montane forests may serve as refugia for moisture-dependent species such as E. edulis . These findings also suggest that seedlings at the Juvenile II stage are better suited for reforestation and conservation efforts, as they are likely to achieve higher survival rates in the field compared to Juvenile I seedlings.