This text investigates the utility of a trait-based approach to functional diversity for understanding plant responses to environmental change and the subsequent impact on ecosystem services. The authors, Eric Garnier, Marie-Laure Navas, and Karl Grigulis, synthesize current research in comparative plant ecology to provide a framework for analyzing how individual organism traits dictate community structure and ecosystem function. By moving beyond taxonomic classification, the book argues that functional traits offer a more predictive capacity for assessing ecological processes in both natural and managed landscapes.

Experts identify this work as a foundational text for graduate-level study in plant ecology and agricultural sciences. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored specifically for professional researchers and advanced students in the field.