Background and aims Trait-based functional ecology often assumes that plant organs (e.g. leaf, stem, root) having dense tissues (high dry matter content; DMC) are carbon (C)-expensive. However, this assumption remains largely untested. Here, we examine whether 1) C-allocation traits co-vary forming coordinated functional strategies, 2) isotopic composition of leaf carbon (δ 13 C) can be effectively traced across organs and can...