Are remotely sensed traits suitable for ecological analysis? A case study of long-term drought effects on leaf mass per area of wetland vegetation

Results show that LMA values retrieved for stands of species with high photosynthetic activity at peak drought intensity closely meet the values reported in data bases. The observed intra-specific LMA variability is in line with the expected plasticity of this trait along a moisture gradient that is reflected in a change in photosynthetic activity and species composition. We thus conclude that LMA values retrieved from imaging spectroscopy data provide sufficient detail to trace the response of wetland vegetation to long-term drought stress.