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The majority of studies investigating plant functional traits have used species average trait values, and assumed that average values were sufficiently representative of each species considered. Although this approach has proven valuable in community ecology studies, plant functional traits can significant-ly vary at different scales, i.e. between but also within populations. The study of species functional trait variability can facilitate increasingly accurate studies in community ecology. Nevertheless, the current extent of within-site plant trait variability has been poorly addressed in the literature. Calcareous grass-lands are ecosystems well-suited to study plant trait variation at small spatial scales. Many species are present on heterogeneous calcareous sites, with significant differences in hydric status due to variations in soil depth, soil moisture, aspect, and slope. This study assesses the extent of intra-population func-tional trait variability and tests the hypothesis that this variability can be explained by within-site envi-ronmental heterogeneity. Three functional traits (SLA-specific leaf area, LDMC-leaf dry matter con-tent, and plant vegetative height) were assessed in three populations of four calcareous grassland spe-cies totalling 950 individuals. The heterogeneity in soil depth and potential direct incident radiation was also quantified and related to plant functional trait variability. The intra-population functional trait variability was compared to the inter-population variability of collected data and global inter-population variability data obtained from the worldwide TRY functional traits database. The results showed that SLA, LDMC, and plant height are characterized by considerable intra-population variation (SLA: 72–95%, LDMC: 78–100% and vegetative height: 70–94% of trait variability). The results also indicate higher plant height and larger SLA for individuals located in plots with deeper soils or lower potential direct incident radiation, on gentle slopes or north-facing slopes. Our findings additionally support the concept that higher plant height, higher SLA, and lower LDMC are related to higher availability of soil water. Individuals on shallow soils or in more exposed areas are better equipped to cope with environ-mental stress. Our results indicate plasticity or local adaptation in individuals to environmental hetero-geneity. This study suggests that detailed analyses involving plant functional traits require measure-ments in situ from a large number of individuals, as the degree of individual response strongly depends on an individual’s location and its micro-environmental conditions. Neglecting intra-population trait variability may be critical, as intraspecific variation can be very high at the population scale, and is likely to be driven by local environmental heterogeneity.
We describe three new species of the genus Coletinia Wygodzinsky, 1980, the most diverse of the family Nicoletiidae (order Zygentoma = Thysanura s. str.) in Europe: C. dalmatica Molero-Baltanás, Fišer, Bach de Roca & Gaju-Ricart sp. nov. from Croatia, C. dextra Molero-Baltanás, Bach de Roca & Gaju-Ricart sp. nov. from Spain and C. serrata Mendes, Molero-Baltanás, Bach de Roca & Gaju-Ricart sp. nov. from Portugal. Coletinia dalmatica sp. nov. seems to be related with C. maggi (Grassi, 1887) and both Iberian species belong to the asymetrica species group. New material of some previously recognized species (C. diania Molero, Bach & Gaju, 2013, C. intermedia Molero, Bach & Gaju, 2013, C. mendesi Wygodzinsky, 1980, C. redetecta Molero, Bach & Gaju, 2013 and C. tinauti Molero-Baltanás, Gaju-Ricart & Bach de Roca, 1997) is reported, enlarging in most cases their geographic distribution, and including some new data on their intraspecific variability. Finally, an updated identification key to all known species of the genus Coletinia is given.