Rank reversals in tree growth along tree size, competition and climatic gradients for four forest canopy dominant species in Central Spain

Abstract

-• Interspecific differences in tree growth patterns with respect to biotic and abiotic factors are key for understanding forest structure and dynamics, and predicting potential changes under climate change.• Repeated observations from the Spanish Forest Inventory (SFI) were used to parameterize maximum likelihood estimators of tree growth as a function of tree size, competition indices and climate for Pinus pinaster, P. sylvestris, Quercus ilex and Q. pyrenaica.• Significant responses to both biotic and abiotic factors were found, with interspecific differences in species performance along competition, temperature and precipitation gradients. Q. ilex was the species most tolerant to competition while P. pinaster was the species most sensitive to climatic variation. Species relative positions shifted along gradients of these factors with rank reversals in species performance along size, competition and climatic gradients.• The results based on average growth matched previous forestry classifications and experimental studies on relative growth rate (RGR).• When examining growth along studied abiotic and biotic gradients, a mismatch was found between species performance ranks as predicted by our models and information derived from previous knowledge. Those discrepancies highlight the relevance of ontogeny and environmental heterogeneity in defining species performance along competition gradients. niche differentiation / Pinus pinaster / Pinus sylvestris / Quercus ilex / Quercus pyrenaica Résumé -Interversion de rangs dans la croissance des arbres en relation avec la taille de l'arbre, la compétition et les gradients climatiques pour quatre espèces forestières dominantes dans la canopée.• Les différences interspécifiques dans les modèles de croissance des arbres, pour ce qui concerne les facteurs biotiques et abiotiques, sont des clés pour la compréhension des structures et des dynamiques forestières, et pour prédire les changement potentiels avec le changement climatique.• Des observations répétées de l'Inventaire Forestier Espagnol (SFI) ont été utilisées pour paramétrer les estimateurs de probabilité maximum de croissance des arbres comme une fonction de la taille de l'arbre, des indices de compétition et du climat pour Pinus pinaster, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus ilex et Quercus pyrenaica.• Des réponses significatives aux facteurs biotiques et abiotiques ont été trouvées, avec des différences interspécifiques pour les performances des espèces en relation avec la compétition, les gradients de température et de précipitations. Quercus ilex a été l'espèce la plus tolérante à la compétition tandis que Pinus pinaster a été l'espèce la plus sensible aux variations climatiques. Les positions relatives des espèces ont changé en relation avec les gradients de ces facteurs avec des interversions de rang pour les performances des espèces en relation avec la taille, la compétition et les gradients climatiques.• Les résultats basés sur la moyenne de croissance sont en adéquation avec la classification forestière antér...

Effects of climate, species interactions, and dispersal on decadal colonization and extinction rates of Iberian tree species

“…At local scales, competition is an important driver of secondary succession, with species upper limits along a productivity gradient being controlled by shade tolerance (Pacala et al, 1996;Tilman, 1994). That the effect of basal area is less negative for broad-leaved species than for needle-leaved species might represent a greater role of facilitation for broad-leaves species, which are typically more shade tolerant (Sánchez- Gómez et al, 2008b). However, the magnitude of the potential facilitative effects within the broad-leaved species was less important than the potential competitive effects experienced by the needle-leaved species.…”

Productivity of temperate broad-leaved forest stands differing in tree species diversity

“…A livestock decrease, however, could also have led to higher plant species diversity. Most differences observed in above-ground productivity among forest stands differing in tree species richness could be attributed to species-specific traits or contrasting site conditions rather than to the number of tree species present (Kerr et al, 1992;Pretzsch, 2005;Sánchez-Gómez et al 2008;Vilà et al, 2003).…”

Variation in the Climate Sensitivity Dependent on Neighbourhood Composition in a Secondary Mixed Forest

“…These diverse results reflect that the tree growth response to climate is context-dependent, i.e., it depends on the neighbourhood settings, but it is also idiosyncratic for each tree species [19,29]. Forest ecosystems seem to be especially sensitive to climate change.…”

“…Tree growth depends on resource availability (i.e., light, water, nutrients), which is related to both abiotic factors, like soil type or climate [19], and biotic factors, like tree competition [7,20,21]. Climate and competition are the two major drivers that limit tree growth, but competition from neighbours may cause a greater reduction in growth than climate, at least in temperate forests [9,[22][23][24].…”