Similarity of plant functional traits and aggregation pattern in a subtropical forest.

ABSTRACT: The distribution of species and communities in relation to environmental heterogeneity is a central focus in ecology. Co-occurrence of species with similar functional traits is an indication that communities are determined in part by environmental filters. However, few studies have been designed to test how functional traits are selectively filtered by environmental conditions at local scales. Exploring the relationship between soil characteristics and plant traits is a step toward understanding the filtering hypothesis in determining plant distribution at local scale. Toward this end, we mapped all individual trees (diameter >1 cm) in a one-ha subtropical forest of China in 2007 and 2015. We measured topographic and detailed soil properties within the field site, as well as plant leaf fun

SUBMITTER: Zhang B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5478052 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature