Ontogenetic trait variation and metacommunity effects influence species relative abundances during tree community assembly.

ABSTRACT: Predicting species abundance is one of the most fundamental pursuits of ecology. Combining the information encoded in functional traits and metacommunities provides a new perspective to predict the abundance of species in communities. We applied a community assembly via trait selection model to predict quadrat-scale species abundances using functional trait variation on ontogenetic stages and metacommunity information for over 490 plant species in a subtropical forest and a lowland tropical forest in Yunnan, China. The relative importance of trait-based selection, mass effects, and stochasticity in shaping local species abundances is evaluated using different null models. We found both mass effects and trait selection contribute to local abundance patterns. Trait selection was detectable a

SUBMITTER: He YY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9363650 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature