C₄ photosynthesis and the economic spectra of leaf and root traits independently influence growth rates in grasses

Photosynthetic pathway is an important cause of growth rate variation between species such that the enhanced carbon uptake of C 4 species leads to faster growth than their C 3 counterparts. Leaf traits that promote rapid resource acquisition may further enhance the growth capacity of C 4 species. However, how root economic traits interact with leaf traits, and the different growth strategies adopted by plants with C 3 and C 4 photosynthetic...