The challenges of restoration in dryland ecosystems are growing due to a rise in anthropogenic disturbance and increasing aridity. Plant functional traits are often used to predict plant performance and can offer a window into potential outcomes of restoration efforts across environmental gradients. We analyzed a database including 15 yr of seeding outcomes across 150 sites on the Colorado Plateau, a cold desert ecoregion in the western United States, and analyzed the independent and interactive effects of functional traits (seed mass, height, and specific leaf area) and local biologically relevant climate variables on seeding success. We predicted that the best models would include an interaction between plant traits and climate, indicating a need to match the right trait value to the right climate conditions to maximize seeding success. Indeed, we found that both plant height and seed size significantly interacted with temperature seasonality, with larger seeds and taller plants performing better in more seasonal environments. We also determined that these trait–environment patterns are not influenced by whether a species is native or nonnative. Our results inform the selection of seed mixes for restoring areas with specific climatic conditions, while also demonstrating the strong influence of temperature seasonality on seeding success in the Colorado Plateau region.

中文翻译：

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在正确的时间，正确的位置正确的特征：将特征与环境相匹配可以改善修复效果。

由于人为干扰的增加和干旱的增加，干旱地区生态系统恢复的挑战越来越大。植物功能性状通常用于预测植物性能，并且可以为跨环境梯度恢复工作的潜在结果提供一个窗口。我们分析了一个数据库，其中包括美国西部寒冷沙漠生态区科罗拉多高原上150个地点的15年播种结果，并分析了功能性状（种子质量，高度和比叶面积）的独立和交互作用播种成功与当地生物学相关的气候变量。我们预测最好的模型将包括植物性状与气候之间的相互作用，这表明需要将正确的性状值与正确的气候条件相匹配，以使播种成功最大化。确实，我们发现植物的高度和种子大小都与温度的季节性显着相关，较大的种子和较高的植物在更多的季节性环境中表现更好。我们还确定，这些特征-环境模式不受物种是本地物种还是非本地物种的影响。我们的结果为选择混合种子以恢复具有特定气候条件的地区提供了依据，同时也证明了温度季节性对科罗拉多高原地区播种成功的强烈影响。