An integrated analysis of functional and genetic diversity in depicting the adaptive strategies of plants. The case study of Silene paradoxa.

The present study aimed to verify whether there are detectable differences in the CSR coordinates, identified through the measurement of LA, SLA and LDMC of individuals of Silene paradoxa L. (Caryophyllaceae) from environments with contrasting stress levels. The two selected environments were serpentine soils, characterized by high levels of heavy metals, and non-contaminated soils. We sampled 120 individuals from 12 populations, 6 growing on serpentine sites and 6 on non-serpentine sites. Moreover, the present study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between phenotypic plasticity and genetic diversity, through DNA-fingerprinting techniques.