Elevation differentially shapes functional diversity patterns in understorey forest communities when considering intraspecific and interspecific trait variability

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41320%2F24%3A100482" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41320/24:100482 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13277" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13277</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13277" target="_blank" >10.1111/jvs.13277</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Elevation differentially shapes functional diversity patterns in understorey forest communities when considering intraspecific and interspecific trait variability

Original language description

QuestionsWhat is the relative importance of interspecific and intraspecific trait variation and their covariation in the herb layer of European temperate beech forests, and how do they vary with elevation? Is there evidence of interspecific trait convergence at higher elevations, as postulated by the habitat-filtering hypothesis, and is this convergence enhanced or counteracted by intraspecific variation?LocationNational Park Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna, Italy.MethodsWe measured four functional traits - plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and leaf area - across 775 individuals from 60 herb-layer species in 28 forest plots (10 m x 10 m) spanning an 800 m elevation gradient. For each trait in each plot, we computed community-weighted means (CWMs) and the standardized effect size of functional diversity (SES-FD). We decomposed total trait variation into its interspecific and intraspecific components, and their covariation. We run linear regression models to assess the impact of elevation on these three components of functional variation. Lastly, we investigated whether higher elevation communities exhibited lower SES-FD, indicating functional convergence that could hint to a stronger habitat filtering.ResultsInterspecific trait variation was more important than the intraspecific counterpart both for CWMs and SES-FD. Only CWMs calculated for plant height and LDMC showed a significant relationship with elevation. Low-elevation communities featured taller, more-conservative species, whereas shorter, faster-growing species were more common at higher elevations. SES-FD remained consistently negative for species turnover and total variation, suggesting stable functional convergence across the gradient.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that interspecific and intraspecific trait variability can be decoupled along an elevation gradient, stressing the importance of individually considering each component of trait variation when studying community composition. Elevation significantly influenced various components of plant community trait variation, with habitat filtering playing a substantial role in selecting plants with specific traits across elevations. Our study delves into the often-overlooked herb-layer communities in temperate forests, examining how elevation influences trait variation and community assembly processes. Species turnover primarily drove species variation, with plant height and LDMC decreasing significantly as elevation increased. However, not all traits were driven by turnover along the gradient, emphasizing the need to decompose trait variation trait-by-trait to fully understand community composition dynamics.image

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

40100 - Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Vegetation Science

ISSN

1100-9233

e-ISSN

1100-9233

Volume of the periodical

35

Issue of the periodical within the volume

3.0

Country of publishing house

SE - SWEDEN

Number of pages

12

Pages from-to

1-12

UT code for WoS article

001241431500001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85195576949