biostudies-literatureUnknown135(3)Zhang KFrench Ministry of Education and Région Bretagne/CNRS<h4>Background and aims</h4>There is ongoing debate about whether offspring perform best next to phylogenetically distantly related adult neighbours (due to the scarcity of enemies and competitors) or next to closely related adults (due to the abundance of mutualists). Here we hypothesize that relatedness of adult neighbours affects which traits confer performance rather than performance itself.<h4>Methods</h4>We studied seed removal, seed germination and sapling growth in sessile oaks (Quercus petraea and hybrids) and how they depend on size, shape and other traits, under both closely and distantly related canopies, manipulating offspring density, presence of insects and fungi, and spatial proximity to oaks.<h4>Key results</h4>We found that phylogenetic distance of adult neighbours affectAnnals of botany495-514https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11897600biostudies-literatureOffspring may succeed well next to their relatives, but it needs particular traits.PMC11897600Jung VBrunelliere MPrinzing ADeniau MZhang KGousbet VBechade BYguel BfalseOffspring may succeed well next to their relatives, but it needs particular traits.<h4>Background and aims</h4>There is ongoing debate about whether offspring perform best next to phylogenetically distantly related adult neighbours (due to the scarcity of enemies and competitors) or next to closely related adults (due to the abundance of mutualists). Here we hypothesize that relatedness of adult neighbours affects which traits confer performance rather than performance itself.<h4>Methods</h4>We studied seed removal, seed germination and sapling growth in sessile oaks (Quercus petraea and hybrids) and how they depend on size, shape and other traits, under both closely and distantly related canopies, manipulating offspring density, presence of insects and fungi, and spatial proximity to oaks.<h4>Key results</h4>We found that phylogenetic distance of adult neighbours affect2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Feb2026-06-04T06:30:28.342Z2026-06-01T03:06:49.188ZS-EPMC118976003937718110.1093/aob/mcae177