Abstract
Functional traits offer generalizability to the prediction of ecosystem processes such as production, and community-weighted mean trait values are increasingly used for such predictions. However, the underlying causal direction between traits and ecosystem processes are often indirect and sometimes even tenuous. In this study, we aimed to uncover underlying causal mechanisms between traits, habitat adaptation and canopy productivity. We used canopy production data estimated from leaf litter traps, and trait and habitat association data obtained from 40 permanent vegetation plots in the Nee Soon catchment in Singapore, which contains a heterogeneous mix of freshwater swamp and dry-land tropical forests. Mean canopy production across the catchment was estimated to be 768 g m−2 year−1, which is similar to other tropical dry-land forests in the region. Biweekly per-basal-area canopy production was found to be consistently lower in swamp than non-swamp plots, and positively correlated with monthly mean temperature. Structural equation models fitted to data of canopy production, leaf traits, plot type (swamp versus non-swamp), basal areas and habitat adaptations of 69 tree species–plot combinations suggested that tree species possessing leaf traits associated with more conservative resource acquisition strategies, viz. low specific leaf area, high leaf C:N ratio, and thicker leaves, are better adapted to stressful, waterlogged swamp conditions, but that this adaptation also reduces canopy—and likely total—net primary productivity. These observations suggest that the stressful conditions of waterlogged, anoxic swamp habitats significantly reduce the rate at which nutrients are cycled by communities found in such environments.
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Data Availability Statement
Data associated with this article are available at https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Habitat_adaptation_mediates_the_influence_of_leaf_traits_on_canopy_productivity_evidence_from_a_tropical_freshwater_swamp_forest/15163782.
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Acknowledgements
This study was conducted in conjunction with the ‘Ecological Modelling of Plant Responses to Hydrological Changes in the Nee Soon Swamp Forest’ and ‘An Estimation and Assessment of Carbon Stocks in the Nee Soon Swamp Forest’ projects, funded by the National Parks Board, Singapore, under the permit number NP/RP18-002. This study was an extension of PJC’s undergraduate Final Year Project examined by Amy Choong and Michiel van Breugel who provided insightful feedback. We are grateful to Robin Ngiam, Sebastian Ow, Li Tianjiao and Jayasri Lakshminarayanan for facilitating access into Nee Soon Swamp Forest; and Lim Kiah Eng for assistance in data collection.
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KYC, PJC, HRL, KSHP, and SJR developed the data collection methodology, WNL, PJC and KYC developed the investigative framework, PJC, YYT, HJS, JJL, RC, NER, LWAT, QYH, ZC, SA and WNL carried out the fieldwork, WNL conducted the data analysis, PJC and WNL wrote the first manuscript draft, and all other authors contributed to revisions and gave final approval for publication.
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Lam, W.N., Chan, P.J., Ting, Y.Y. et al. Habitat Adaptation Mediates the Influence of Leaf Traits on Canopy Productivity: Evidence from a Tropical Freshwater Swamp Forest. Ecosystems 25, 1006–1019 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-021-00697-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-021-00697-7