Socioeconomic gradients modulate climate--soil interactions driving plant punctional traits across China

Socioeconomic gradients modulate climate--soil interactions driving plant punctional traits across China | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 18 November 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Socioeconomic gradients modulate climate--soil interactions driving plant punctional traits across China Authors : Yujuan Zheng 0009-0004-5875-5964 , Jingwen Wang , Le Zhang , Chengguang Zhong , Xiaoxuan Du , Yuchuan Fan , and Jie Gao [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176342704.43077389/v1 183 views 115 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Understanding how human development reshapes trait–environment linkages is essential for predicting vegetation responses under global change. Using data for 25,624 vascular plant species across China, we tested how socioeconomic gradients (regional GDP) modulate climate–soil controls on four key functional traits (leaf area, plant height, seed size, fruit size). We combined generalized additive models, segmented regressions, SHAP attribution from machine learning, and structural equation modeling to identify nonlinearity, thresholds, and causal pathways. Nutritional/vegetative traits increased nonlinearly with GDP and saturated at intermediate–high levels, whereas reproductive traits responded more weakly. In low-GDP regions, trait variation was chiefly constrained by soil nutrients and moisture seasonality; in high-GDP regions, climatic factors (temperature regimes and precipitation) dominated the control of vegetative traits. SEMs further revealed that socioeconomic development strengthens indirect soil-fertility and hydrological pathways that promote vegetative growth without substantially altering the climatic filtering governing reproduction. These findings establish a mechanistic framework of socioeconomic–environmental coupling, highlight divergent sensitivities of growth versus reproduction to human development, and inform region-specific biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. Supplementary Material File (manuscript.docx) Download 130.61 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 18 November 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords description ecosystem ecosystem ecology plants statistical Authors Affiliations Yujuan Zheng 0009-0004-5875-5964 Xinjiang Normal University View all articles by this author Jingwen Wang Xinjiang Normal University View all articles by this author Le Zhang Xinjiang Normal University View all articles by this author Chengguang Zhong Xinjiang Normal University View all articles by this author Xiaoxuan Du Yancheng Institute of Technology View all articles by this author Yuchuan Fan Zhejiang A&F University View all articles by this author Jie Gao [email protected] Xinjiang Normal University View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 183 views 115 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Yujuan Zheng, Jingwen Wang, Le Zhang, et al. Socioeconomic gradients modulate climate--soil interactions driving plant punctional traits across China. Authorea . 18 November 2025. 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