How successful plants take the lead

Germinating quickly, growing fast, withstanding competitors and defending against herbivores already since decades, ecologists have suggested that these are important characteristics of successful plants. However, it has also been suggested that species characteristics are less important as determinants of plant establishment success than other factors such as seed availability or environmental characteristics, like dense vegetation. In Bern, researchers of the Institute of Plant Sciences and the University of Konstanz carefully examined the importance of those species characteristics, and provide evidence that they affect – more strongly than has been anticipated – success or failure of species.