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Detecting ecological groups from traits: a classification of subtropical tree species based on ecological strategies

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Abstract

We evaluated the frequently assumed but rarely tested hypothesis that in tropical and subtropical forests species form discontinuities along gradients in trait variation, which can be detected to classify species into ecologically meaningful and statistically defined groups. We also tested the hypothesis that the dominant conifer Araucaria angustifolia have a contrasting trait syndrome from the pool of angiosperms. Data were collected in subtropical mixed conifer-hardwood forests in southern Brazil. Eleven trait variables (relative growth rates, growth rates under favourable conditions, annual mortality rates, seed length, seed dispersal mode, wood density, maximum height, crown depth, stem slenderness, specific leaf area, and leaf blade length) were measured for 66 large tree species. The conifer Araucaria angustifolia differed significantly in most traits and vital rates from the angiosperm distributions. The Simple Structure Index criterion was used to identify the optimum number of non-hierarchical k-means groups. This index was largest for a solution with five groups. Non-hierarchical groups were more strongly related with the resource capture and height gradients than groups formed by hierarchical clustering. We propose the recognition of seven ecological species groups in the studied forests depending on growth rates, leaf size, wood density, height, stem slenderness, dispersal, and crown depth: Conifers, Palms, Pioneers, Large-seeded Pioneers, Wind-dispersed Large trees, Large shade-tolerant trees, and Small Shade-tolerant trees. The classification produced was coherent with the ecological strategies present in the community and represents a subdivision of Westoby’s leaf-height-seed plant strategy scheme.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by CNPq (Brazilian Research Council) through the ‘‘Projeto Ecológico de Longa Duração Conservação e Manejo Sustentável de Ecossistemas Florestais—Bioma Araucária e suas Transições’’ and by Energética Barra Grande (BAESA). We thank Arselino Pereira de Morais (o Cabo), José Rodrigues de Souza (o Bepe), and Tania Mara V. F. Souza for valuable logistical support. We are also grateful to the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA) for research permission and to Artur José Soligo for facilitation of access to the São Francisco de Paula National Forest. Renato Záchia kindly provided Annona seed length data. We are grateful to Márcio Cunha for helping with data handling through a C+ program. Thanks to Elgin S. Perry for suggesting a practical way of classifying external species into the k-means groups. Comments by Courtney G. Collins, Edu Effiom, Lourens Poorter, Robert C. Morrissey, and two anonymous reviewers greatly helped to improve an earlier an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Cristiane Forgiarini

    Present address: Departamento de Botânica, Instituto Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43433, Campus Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecologia, CB, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil

    Alexandre F. Souza

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia: diversidade e manejo da vida silvestre, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Av. UNISINOS 950, C.P. 275, São Leopoldo, RS, 93022-000, Brazil

    Cristiane Forgiarini & Juliano M. Oliveira

  3. PPG – Engenharia Florestal, Dep. de Ciências Florestais, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima, s/n, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil

    Solon J. Longhi

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  1. Alexandre F. Souza
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  2. Cristiane Forgiarini
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  4. Juliano M. Oliveira
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Correspondence to Alexandre F. Souza.

Appendix

Appendix

See Appendix Table 2.

Table 2 Species group affiliation of subtropical mixed forest trees in Southern Brazil. aIndicates species that were assigned a posteriori to the five groups identified through k-means cluster analysis (groups 2–6) using minimum Euclidean distances. ID Identification number of species in Fig. 2
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Souza, A.F., Forgiarini, C., Longhi, S.J. et al. Detecting ecological groups from traits: a classification of subtropical tree species based on ecological strategies. Braz. J. Bot 37, 441–452 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-014-0084-z

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