Integrated Vegetative and Reproductive Traits Reveal Functional Groups and Assembly Mechanisms in a Subtropical...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Plant Biology
• Forest Science

Background:

• Plant ecological strategies are shaped by vegetative and reproductive traits, influencing forest community assembly.
• Understanding how these trait syndromes form functional groups for species coexistence in ecotones is crucial but remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To classify woody plant species into functional groups (FGs) based on integrated vegetative and reproductive traits in a subtropical ecotone.
• To investigate trait differentiation patterns and FG assembly mechanisms that facilitate species coexistence.

Main Methods:

• Measured 17 key functional traits (vegetative and reproductive) in 121 woody plant species.
• Employed hierarchical clustering to classify species into functional groups (FGs).
• Analyzed trait syndromes and FG composition to understand adaptive strategies.

Main Results:

• The woody plant community is adapted to the ecotone, dominated by evergreen microphanerophytes with simple leaves and animal-mediated pollination/dispersal.
• 10 distinct FGs were identified, reflecting convergent adaptations (e.g., evergreen microphanerophytes) and divergent strategies (e.g., FG1's specialization for high light, FG5's deciduous adaptation).
• FGs demonstrate varied microhabitat adaptations, with some utilizing wind pollination/dispersal (FG4) and others relying on animal mutualism (FGs 3, 7, 8, 10).

Conclusions:

• Functional group classification based on integrated traits clarifies trait differentiation and assembly in woody plant communities.
• Species coexistence in ecotones is facilitated by niche differentiation and plant-animal interactions.
• This trait-based approach offers insights for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation strategies.