Abstract:Trait plasticity is the key to plant adaptation to climate change. However, the understanding of how climate factors affect trait plasticity is still limited. In this study, the plasticity of leaf traits in different provenances of 14 Choerospondias axillaris under temperature and precipitation gradient were studied through homogenous garden experiment. The results showed that the leaf trait plasticity of C. axillaris was 0.034-0.236. Trait plasticity among different provenances exhibited significant variation along temperature gradients, but except for leaf non-structural carbohydrate plasticity, the other traits were unrelated to precipitation factors. Specifically, leaf length plasticity was positively correlated with annual mean temperature, mean temperature in the wettest season and the coldest season. Leaf area plasticity was positively correlated with annual mean temperature and mean temperature in the coldest season, which was negatively correlated with mean diurnal temperature range. The plasticity of leaf relative water content was positively correlated with annual mean temperature and mean temperature in the coldest season. The leaf non-structural carbohydrate plasticity was negatively correlated with annual mean temperature and mean temperature in the coldest season. Therefore, the temperature factors limited the trait plasticity of C. axillaris. Moreover, the variation of leaf phenotypic plasticity might be the main adaptive strategy of the population to temperature change during long-term evolution. This study clarified the relationship between temperature and precipitation and trait plasticity, which could provide scientific reference for predicting adaptability change and germplasm resource protection under the background of climate change.