Table 1.

Database-derived characteristics of the two experimental species

Species	Height (cm)a	Perennialityb	Root typec	Specific leaf area (mm2 mg−1)b	Mean seedbank density (1/m2)b	Field abundance (% cover)d
S. columbaria	70	Biennial–perennial	Tap	19.04	13	Low (~ 3%)
S. minor	50	Perennial	Tap	20.64	42	High (~ 15%)

^aPLANTATT (Hill et al. 2004)

^bLeda traitbase (Kleyer et al. 2008)

^cGrime (Grime et al. 2007)

^dField data from species-rich calcareous grassland, (E.L. Fry, unpublished data)