Evolutionary history predicts the response of tree species to forest loss: A case study in peninsular Spain

Abstract

Evolutionary history can explain species resemblance to a large extent. Thus, if closely related species share combinations of traits that modulate their response to environmental changes, then phylogeny could predict species sensitivity to novel stressors such as increased levels of deforestation. To test this hypothesis, we used 66,949 plots (25-m-radius) of the Spanish National Forest Inventory and modelled the relationships between local (plot-level) stem density of 61 Holarctic tree species and forest canopy cover measured at local and landscape scales (concentric circles centred on the plots with radiuses of 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 km, respectively). Then, we used the output model equations to estimate the probability of occurrence of the species as a function of forest canopy cover (i.e. response to forest loss), and quantified the phylogenetic signal in their responses using a molecular phylogeny. Most species showed a lower probability of occurrence when forest canopy cover in the plots (local scale) was low. However, the probability of occurrence of many species increased when forest canopy cover decreased across landscape scales. We detected a strong phylogenetic signal in species response to forest loss at local and small landscape (1.6 km) scales. However, phylogenetic signal was weak and non-significant at intermediate (3.2 km) and large (6.4 km) landscape scales. Our results suggest that phylogenetic information could be used to prioritize forested areas for conservation, since evolutionary history may largely determine species response to forest loss. As such, phylogenetically diverse forests might ensure contrasted responses to deforestation, and thus less abrupt reductions in the abundances of the constituent species.

Resilience of Spanish forests to recent droughts and climate change

“…We found an average decrease in the water balance of 1.9 mm/year over our pixels for the period 2000–2017, which follows decreases in precipitation by 1.9 mm/year and increases in temperature by 0.03°C/year for the period 1961–2011 (Vicente‐Serrano, Azorin‐Molina, et al, 2014). Indeed, several studies have reported localized dieback associated with extreme drought events in Spain (Guada, Camarero, Sánchez‐Salguero, & Cerrillo, 2016; Lloret & García, 2016; Lloret, Siscart, & Dalmases, 2004; Molina‐Venegas, Llorente‐Culebras, Ruiz‐Benito, & Rodríguez, 2018; Ogaya et al., 2015).…”

“…Indeed, several studies have reported localized dieback associated with extreme drought events in Spain (Guada, Camarero, Sánchez-Salguero, & Cerrillo, 2016;Lloret & García, 2016;Lloret, Siscart, & Dalmases, 2004;Molina-Venegas, Llorente-Culebras, Ruiz-Benito, & Rodríguez, 2018;Ogaya et al, 2015).…”

Connecting plant evolutionary history and human well-being at Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

“…Kilimanjaro rely on multiple and relatively deep lineages that specifically provide a certain type of service (although a few clades provided multiple benefits), which may have important implications for human well-being in the future. As such, environmental stressors might jeopardize the delivery of plant-related services if closely related species are similarly vulnerable to ongoing pressures as a result of conserved evolution (Thuiller et al, 2011;Molina-Venegas et al, 2018).…”

Reassembly of a tropical rainforest ecosystem: A new chronosequence in the Ecuadorian Chocó tested with the recovery of tree attributes

“…In general, we expect that the diversity of plant and animal communities, species community composition, and species interaction networks resemble those of mature old-growth forests with time. However, different reassembly trajectories of species communities and interaction networks should be determined by evolutionary history and background taxonomic and functional diversity (Farneda et al, 2021; Molina-Venegas et al, 2018; Mahayani et al, 2020).…”