scholarly journals Trait Gradient Analysis for Evergreen and Deciduous Species in a Subtropical Forest

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 364
Author(s):  
Liangjin Yao ◽  
Yi Ding ◽  
Lan Yao ◽  
Xunru Ai ◽  
Runguo Zang
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Gradient Analysis ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Central China ◽  
Deciduous Species ◽  
Trait Variation ◽  
Variation Patterns ◽  
Species Trait

Leaf habits (e.g., evergreen or deciduous) can reflect strategies of species adapting to varied environmental conditions. However, how species with different leaf habits coexist within a plant community is still poorly understood. Trait gradient analysis is a new approach to partition plant functional trait variations into alpha (within-community) and beta (among-community) components to quantify the effects of environmental filtering and biotic competition on community assembly. Here, on the basis of establishing forty-eight forest dynamic plots in a subtropical evergreen and deciduous broadleaved mixed forest in central China and measuring of seven functional traits, we compared the trait variation patterns and influencing factors of evergreen and deciduous species by using the trait gradient analysis method. The results showed that there were significant differences between functional traits for evergreen and deciduous species. Alpha trait components consistently varied more widely than beta components. The correlation between species trait mean and the alpha of each trait was highly significant, but there was no significant correlation between beta and alpha trait values. There were relatively weak or nonexistent significant correlations among species mean trait values and alpha trait values of different functional traits. However, the beta trait value showed high and significant correlations in both evergreen and deciduous species. Our results indicated that evergreen and deciduous species adopt similar adaptation strategies (beta component) in the context of environmental change in the community. However, the species initially came to coexist via the ecological positioning of traits (alpha component), which helped reduce competition so individuals could obtain more resources.

scholarly journals Retrieving Foliar Traits of Quercus garryana var. garryana across a Modified Landscape Using Leaf Spectroscopy and LiDAR

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Paul W. Hacker ◽  
Nicholas C. Coops ◽  
Philip A. Townsend ◽  
Zhihui Wang
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Leaf Growth ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Leaf Structure ◽  
Leaf Mass Per Area ◽  
Quercus Garryana ◽  
Trait Variation ◽  
Anthropogenic Landscape

Understanding the ecological effects of human activities on an ecosystem is integral to the implementation of conservation management plans. The plasticity of plant functional traits presents an opportunity to examine the capacity for intraspecific functional trait variations to be indicators of anthropogenic landscape modifications. The presence of intraspecific trait variation would indicate that plants of a single species could to be used to evaluate and map functional diversity, a common metric used to measure biodiversity. This study uses leaf spectroscopy, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) to examine the intraspecific variation of functional traits in a population of 40 Quercus garryana experiencing varying levels of anthropogenic influence at the site level (<0.3 km2) in Duncan, B.C., Canada. These individuals vary in their spatial relationship to roads, agricultural land use change and an encroaching Coastal Douglas-fir forest. A total of 14 functional traits were estimated using pre-determined PLSR coefficients from a multi-species dataset. LiDAR data for each tree and were organized into functional categories based on their influence of plant lifeform, leaf growth or leaf structure. Principal components analysis was performed on each functional category to determine the relative influence of each trait. Results show that leaf growth and lifeform functional trait categories express significant variation in relation to three anthropogenic landscape modifications, while traits associated to leaf structure only varied between land use types (p = 0.05). Diameter at breast height (DBH), mass-based chlorophyll and leaf mass per area (LMA) showed the strongest variation across treatments. These findings support the hypothesis that trait variation exists in small populations of the same species and illustrate that spectroscopy can be used to indirectly sense land use via the leaf functional traits of a single tree species.

scholarly journals Aridity drives coordinated trait shifts but not decreased trait variance across the geographic range of eight Australian trees

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leander DL Anderegg ◽  
Xingwen Loy ◽  
Ian P. Markham ◽  
Christina M Elmer ◽  
Mark J Hovenden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Trait ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Leaf Mass Per Area ◽  
Species Variation ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Trait Variation ◽  
Huber Value ◽  
Trait Variance ◽  
Species Trait

AbstractContextLarge intraspecific functional trait variation strongly impacts many aspects of natural communities and ecosystems, yet is inconsistent across traits and species.ApproachWe measured within-species variation in leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), branch wood density (WD), and allocation to stem area vs. leaf area in branches (branch Huber value, HV) across the aridity range of seven Australian eucalypts and an Acacia species to explore how traits and their variances change with aridity.Results and ConclusionsWithin-species, we found consistent increases in LMA, LDMC and WD, and HV with increasing aridity, resulting in consistent trait coordination across tissues. However, this coordination only emerged across sites with large climate differences. Unlike trait means, patterns of trait variance with aridity were mixed across populations and species and showed limited support for constrained trait variation in dryer populations or more xeric species.SynthesisOur results highlight that climate can drive consistent within-species trait patterns, but that these patterns might often be obscured by the complex nature of morphological traits and sampling incomplete species ranges or sampling confounded stress gradients.

Differential impact of liana colonization on the leaf functional traits of co-occurring deciduous and evergreen trees

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
vivek pandi ◽  
Kanda Naveen Babu
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Differential Impact ◽  
Deciduous Species ◽  
Evergreen Species ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Trait ◽  
Host Trees ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract The present study was carried out to analyse the leaf functional traits of co-occurring evergreen and deciduous tree species in a tropical dry scrub forest. This study also intended to check whether the species with contrasting leaf habits differ in their leaf trait plasticity, responding to the canopy-infestation by lianas. A total of 12 leaf functional traits were studied for eight tree species with contrasting leaf habits (evergreen and deciduous) and liana-colonization status (Liana+ and Liana−). In the liana-free environment (L−), evergreen trees had significantly higher specific leaf mass (LMA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) than the deciduous species. Whereas, the deciduous trees had higher specific leaf area (SLA) and mass-based leaf nitrogen concentration (Nmass). The leaf trait-pair relationship in the present study agreed to the well-established global trait-pair relationships (SLA Vs Nmass, Lth Vs SLA, Nmass Vs Lth, Nmass Vs LDMC, LDMC Vs SLA). There was no significant difference between L+ and L− individuals in any leaf functional traits studied in the deciduous species. However, evergreen species showed marked differences in the total chlorophyll content (Chlt), chlorophyll b (Chlb), SLA, and LMA between L+ and L− individuals of the same species. Deciduous species with the acquisitive strategy can have a competitive advantage over evergreen species in the exposed environment (L−) whereas, evergreen species with shade-tolerant properties were better acclimated to the shaded environments (L+). The result revealed the patterns of convergence and divergence in some of the leaf functional traits between evergreen and deciduous species. The results also showed the differential impact of liana colonization on the host trees with contrasting leaf habits. Therefore, liana colonization can significantly impact the C-fixation strategies of the host trees by altering their light environment. Further, the magnitude of such impact may vary among species of different leaf habits. The increased proliferation of lianas in the tropical forest canopies may pose a severe threat to the whole forest carbon assimilation rates.

scholarly journals Functional trait variation related to gap dynamics in tropical moist forests: A vegetation modelling perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 52-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrique Fürstenau Togashi ◽  
Owen K. Atkin ◽  
Keith J. Bloomfield ◽  
Matt Bradford ◽  
Kunfang Cao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Trait ◽  
Gap Dynamics ◽  
Trait Variation ◽  
Vegetation Modelling

scholarly journals Variation Patterns of Functional Trait Moments Along Geographical Gradients and Their Environmental Determinants in the Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaved Forests

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caishuang Huang ◽  
Yue Xu ◽  
Runguo Zang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Specific Leaf Area ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Leaf Nitrogen ◽  
Subtropical Region ◽  
Mean Variance ◽  
Nitrogen Phosphorus ◽  
Skewness And Kurtosis

Understanding how environmental change alters the composition of plant assemblages is a major challenge in the face of global climate change. Researches accounting for site-specific trait values within forest communities help bridge plant economics theory and functional biogeography to better evaluate and predict relationships between environment and ecosystem functioning. Here, by measuring six functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration, leaf nitrogen/phosphorus, wood density) for 292 woody plant species (48,680 individuals) from 250 established permanent forest dynamics plots in five locations across the subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests (SEBLF) in China, we quantified functional compositions of communities by calculating four trait moments, i.e., community-weighted mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis. The geographical (latitudinal, longitudinal, and elevational) patterns of functional trait moments and their environmental drivers were examined. Results showed that functional trait moments shifted significantly along the geographical gradients, and trait moments varied in different ways across different gradients. Plants generally showed coordinated trait shifts toward more conservative growth strategies (lower specific leaf area, leaf N and P concentration while higher leaf nitrogen/phosphorus and wood density) along increasing latitude and longitude. However, trends opposite to the latitudinal and longitudinal patterns appeared in trait mean values along elevation. The three sets of environmental variables (climate, soil and topography) explained 35.0–69.0%, 21.0–56.0%, 14.0–31.0%, and 16.0–30.0% of the variations in mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis across the six functional traits, respectively. Patterns of shifts in functional trait moments along geographical gradients in the subtropical region were mainly determined by the joint effects of climatic and edaphic conditions. Climate regimes, especially climate variability, were the strongest driving force, followed by soil nutrients, while topography played the least role. Moreover, the relationship of variance, skewness and kurtosis with climate and their geographical patterns suggested that rare phenotypes at edges of trait space were selected in harsher environments. Our study suggested that environmental filtering (especially climate variability) was the dominant process of functional assembly for forest communities in the subtropical region along geographical gradients.

scholarly journals Quantitative estimates of deciduousness in woody species from a seasonally dry tropical forest are related to leaf functional traits and the timing of leaf flush

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Souparna Chakrabarty ◽  
Sheetal Sharma ◽  
Shatarupa Ganguly ◽  
Asmi Jezeera ◽  
Neha Mohanbabu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Leaf Phenology ◽  
Deciduous Species ◽  
Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Dry Tropical Forest ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
Quantitative Estimates

AbstractLeaf phenology based classification of woody species into discrete evergreen and deciduous categories is widely used in ecology, but these categories hide important variation in leaf phenological behaviour. Few studies have examined the continuous nature of deciduousness and our understanding of variation in quantitative estimates of leaf shedding behaviour and the causes and consequences of this is limited. In this study we monitored leaf phenology in 75 woody species from a seasonally dry tropical forest to quantify three quantitative measures of deciduousness, namely: maximum canopy loss, duration of deciduousness, and average canopy loss. Based on proposed drought tolerance and drought avoidance strategies of evergreen and deciduous species, respectively, we tested whether the quantitative measures of deciduousness were related to leaf functional traits. Additionally, to understand the functional consequences of variation in deciduousness we examined relationships with the timing of leaf flushing and senescing. We found wide and continuous variation in quantitative measures of deciduousness in these coexisting species. Variation in deciduousness was related to leaf function traits, and the timing of leaf flushing. Along a continuous axis ranging from evergreen to deciduous species, increasing deciduousness was associated with more acquisitive leaf functional traits, with lower leaf mass per area and leaf dry matter content, and greater leaf nitrogen content. These results indicate that the continuous nature of deciduousness is an important component of resource acquisition strategies in woody species from seasonally dry forests.

Beyond mean functional traits: Influence of functional trait profiles on forest structure, production, and mortality across the eastern US

2014 ◽  
Vol 328 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew B. Russell ◽  
Christopher W. Woodall ◽  
Anthony W. D’Amato ◽  
Grant M. Domke ◽  
Sassan S. Saatchi
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Functional Trait

Network properties as functional traits for fungi

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Aguilar-Trigueros ◽  
Mark Fricker ◽  
Matthias Rillig
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Ecological Strategies ◽  
Body Type ◽  
Network Growth ◽  
Transport Efficiency ◽  
Network Parameters ◽  
Phylogenetic Affiliation ◽  
Network Properties

&lt;p&gt;Fungal mycelia consist of an interconnected network of filamentous hyphae and represent the dominant phase of the lifecycle in all major fungal phyla, from basal to more recent clades. Indeed, the ecological success of fungi on land is partly due to such filamentous network growth. Nevertheless, fungal ecologists rarely use network features as functional traits. Given the widespread occurrence of this body type, we hypothesized that interspecific variation in network features may reflect both phylogenetic affiliation and distinct ecological strategies among species. We show first that there is high interspecific variation in network parameters of fungi, which partly correlates with taxonomy; and second that network parameters, related to predicted-mycelial transport mechanisms during the exploration phase, reveal the trait space in mycelium architecture across species. &amp;#160;This space predicts a continuum of ecological strategies along two extremes: from highly connected mycelia with high resilience to damage but limited transport efficiency, to poorly connected mycelia with low resilience but high transport efficiency. We argue that mycelial networks are potentially a rich source of information to inform functional trait analysis in fungi, but we also note the challenges in establishing common principles and processing pipelines that are required to facilitate widespread use of network properties as functional traits in fungal ecology.&lt;/p&gt;

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