Genetic and Morphological Variation in Tropical and Temperate Plant Species

Plants provide the foundation for the structure and function as well as interactions among organisms in both tropical and temperate zone habitats. To date many investigations have revealed patterns and mechanisms generating plant diversity at various scales and from diverse ecological perspectives. However in the era of climate change anthropogenic disturbance and rapid urbanization new insights are needed to understand how plant species in these forest habitats are changing and adapting. Investigations of plants in both little-disturbed more natural environments as well as in urban areas in which crucial green infrastructure is ever more important for sustaining complex human societies are needed. This Special Issue of Forests will focus on plant variation from the perspectives of morphology genetics and function especially plant interactions with biotic and abiotic factors. Research articles may address any aspect of plant evolution and community phylogenetics (explorations of patterns and mechanisms from diverse organismal levels e.g. molecular population species community landscape and ecosystem) plant functional traits (e.g. nutrient traits of leaf stem root; reproductive traits of flower fruit seed) and/or responses of plant species to changing environments (e.g. water atmosphere soil human activities). Studies providing quantitative evaluation or description of interactions of plants with animals and microbes both in natural and urban environments including terrestrial and aquatic systems are also welcome.