Table 4. Principal component loadings of size-independent traits.
Loadings (fraction of variance in trait explained by principal component) based on observed trait variation in our cultivated sunflower diversity panel for the first and second PCs under control (0 mm NaCl) and salt-stressed (100 mm NaCl) conditions as well as the plasticity in trait values between treatments. Bolded are the top three size-independent traits/elements per PC with the rank of the loading in parentheses. LMF, Leaf mass fraction.
| Trait | Control | Salt | Plasticity | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC1 | PC2 | PC1 | PC2 | PC1 | PC2 | |||||||
| Chlorophyll | 0.04 | (7) | 0.11 | (8) | 0.02 | (8) | 0.19 | (4) | 0.01 | (8) | 0.23 | (3) |
| fineMF | 0.04 | (8) | 0.36 | (3) | 0.34 | (4) | 0.52 | (3) | 0.09 | (5) | 0.79 | (1) |
| fineRF | 0.83 | (2) | 0.12 | (7) | 0.93 | (1) | 0.04 | (7) | 0.88 | (1) | 0.06 | (8) |
| LMA | 0.24 | (5) | 0.14 | (5) | 0.05 | (7) | 0.01 | (9) | 0.05 | (7) | 0.07 | (7) |
| LMF | >0.01 | (9) | 0.42 | (2) | 0.15 | (5) | 0.55 | (2) | 0.08 | (6) | 0.22 | (4) |
| RMF | 0.35 | (4) | 0.14 | (4) | 0.02 | (9) | 0.72 | (1) | 0.12 | (4) | 0.75 | (2) |
| SMF | 0.12 | (6) | 0.68 | (1) | 0.05 | (6) | 0.06 | (6) | 0.01 | (9) | 0.01 | (9) |
| tapMF | 0.86 | (1) | >0.01 | (9) | 0.75 | (3) | 0.11 | (5) | 0.77 | (3) | 0.14 | (5) |
| tapRF | 0.83 | (3) | 0.12 | (6) | 0.93 | (2) | 0.04 | (8) | 0.86 | (2) | 0.08 | (6) |