Abstract
Understanding how functional traits and diversity modulate plant interactions within forests is becoming a widespread research goal in ecology. We applied neighbourhood analysis to a Mediterranean biodiversity manipulation experiment (IDENT-Macomer) to assess the importance of functional traits in predicting tree diameter increments (DI) in a mixed forest. We used tree functional traits to weigh the neighbourhood competition index (NCI) and functional dispersion (FDis), which is a functional diversity metric. We found that functional traits affect competitive performance across species within a mixed forest and that resource acquisition is based primarily on trait hierarchy. We also found that traits related to competition for light, such as maximum plant height (Hmax), are the best predictors of DI. Our results reveal that NCI is a more reliable predictor than FDis, but the combination of both effects helps to better explain differences in DI. Finally, our findings show that gathering functional trait data is a practise that should be prioritised in mixed forest management due to the predictive importance of NCI and FDis in experiments with high density and species diversity.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for field assistance from the Sardinian Forest Authority for managing the experimental site at the nursery St. Antonio at Macomer, and Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change (CMCC) for the grants.
Funding
MLC was funded by RESTART-UNINUORO Project “Azioni per la valorizzazione delle risorse agroforestali della Sardegna centrale/Actions for the valorisation of agroforestry resources in central Sardinia” Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, D.G.R. N. 29/1 del 7.06.2018-fondi FSC 2014-2020.
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The article was written by RM with assistance from all authors. The entire experiment was supervised by SM. The study hypotheses were developed by RM and MS. Sampling was done by SM, LM, JR, MLC, and RM. LM contributed to all sections of the manuscript. The statistical approach was chosen by RM, and JMCS was active in its refinement. LM, JR, and MLC revised the writing and text exposition. MLC was active in the funding acquisition process. SM motivated RM to improve the discussion. SM and DS provided final input on the manuscript’s final version.
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Melis, R., Morillas, L., Roales, J. et al. Functional traits related to competition for light influence tree diameter increments in a biodiversity manipulation experiment. Eur J Forest Res 142, 709–722 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-023-01552-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-023-01552-1