Using tree functional diversity to evaluate management impacts in a subtropical forest

Maeshiro, Ryo; Kusumoto, Buntarou; Fujii, Shinjiro; Shiono, Takayuki; Kubota, Yasuhiro

doi:10.1890/es13-00125.1

Cited by 28 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Indices based on both species traits and abundances (e.g., functional divergence or specialization) cannot provide evidence of species extirpations or local extinctions along disturbance gradients (Mouillot et al 2012). However, our results showed that secondary succession affects the patterns of niche differentiation of the species forming the functional space of secondary forests (see Maeshiro et al 2013). In addition, in secondary forests with intermediate levels of disturbance, species with combinations of traits that are vulnerable to disturbance could coexist with disturbance-tolerant species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…However, our results showed that secondary succession affects the patterns of niche differentiation of the species forming the functional space of secondary forests (see Maeshiro et al . ). In addition, in secondary forests with intermediate levels of disturbance, species with combinations of traits that are vulnerable to disturbance could coexist with disturbance‐tolerant species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along a secondary successional gradient in a tropical forest

et al. 2017

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The taxonomic diversity (TD) of tropical flora and fauna tends to increase during secondary succession. This increase may be accompanied by changes in functional diversity (FD), although the relationship between TD and FD is not well understood. To explore this relationship, we examined the correlations between the TD and FD of ants and forest age in secondary forests at the α‐ and β‐diversity levels using single‐ and multi‐trait‐based approaches. Our objectives were to understand ant diversity patterns and to evaluate the role of secondary forests in the conservation of biodiversity and in the resilience of tropical forests. Ant assemblages were sampled across a chronosequence in the Lacandon region, Mexico. All species were characterized according to 12 functional ecomorphological traits relevant to their feeding behavior. We found that TD and FD were related to forest age at the alpha level, but not at the beta level. α‐functional richness and divergence increased linearly with species richness and diversity, respectively. Also, the relationship between taxonomic and functional turnover was linear and positive. Our results indicated that functional traits were complementary across the chronosequence. The increase in FD was mainly driven by the addition of rare species with relevant traits. The older secondary forests did not recover all of the functions of old growth forest but did show a tendency to recovery. Because older successional stages support more TD and FD, we suggest developing agriculture and forestry management practices that facilitate rapid post‐agricultural succession and thereby better preserve the functionality of tropical forests.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along a secondary successional gradient in a tropical forest

et al. 2017

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“…their functional traits) drives multiple ecosystem functions (e.g. productivity and biogeochemical cycling) and their functional diversity is a proxy for ecological redundancy within forest ecosystems (Maeshiro et al ., ). Therefore our results indicate that the redundancy of ecosystem functions should depend critically on geographical patterns of climatic factors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Information on the potential maximum stem height (m) of each species was assembled from literature sources (Satake et al, 1989). Maeshiro et al (2013) provide a more detailed description of the trait measurements.…”

Section: Trait Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Climatic drivers of trait assembly in woody plants in Japan

Shiono

Kusumoto

Maeshiro

et al. 2015

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim A trait‐based biogeographical approach can be used to shed light on species‐sorting mechanisms that are driven by the interactions between species traits and abiotic conditions along large‐scale gradients. We tested the hypothesis that geographical patterns of woody plant assemblages are driven largely by environmental filtering, in relation to climate harshness and seasonality, acting on key functional traits. Location Japanese archipelago. Methods Using a large‐scale grid‐based dataset of 773 woody species and five functional traits measured in the field, spanning the Japanese archipelago, we analysed the influence of climate harshness (absolute minimum temperature and precipitation of driest month) and climate seasonality (temperature and precipitation seasonality, and the length of period suitable for photosynthesis) on three aspects of community trait structure: community mean trait values, functional richness and functional divergence. To confirm whether the influence of climate‐based species sorting on functional structure was stronger than the impact of dispersal limitation, we used null models that did or did not account for the difference in regional species pools as a result of vicariance. Results While climate harshness and historical dispersal limitation had a some influence on trait structure, temperature seasonality played a significant role. Greater seasonality was associated with functional similarity in wood density and leaf nitrogen concentration, but also contributed to increased diversity in leaf thickness, specific leaf area and maximum height. Main conclusions Our results demonstrate the importance of climate harshness and seasonality in shaping the geographical variation of functional trait structures in woody plant assemblages, while we found that species richness decreases with increasing climate harshness. Climate seasonality results in the convergence and divergence of co‐occurring traits across different vegetation zones. This suggests that seasonal environmental variability acts not only as a filter of species traits but also as a driver creating a greater difference in functional strategies among woody plant species.

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“…Clearcut-logging (or clearcutting) provides an experimental setting in which researchers can analyze reassembly patterns of functional and phylogenetic structure through species sorting related to anthropogenic disturbance (Maeshiro et al 2013;Kusumoto et al 2015;Toyamaetal. 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispersal process driving subtropical forest reassembly: evidence from functional and phylogenetic analysis

Kusumoto

Baba

Fujii

et al. 2016

Ecological Research

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Understanding the mechanisms of secondary succession related to forest management practices is receiving increasing attention in community ecology and biodiversity conservation. Abiotic and biotic filtering are deterministic processes driving community reassembly. A functional trait or phylogeny‐based approach predicts that environmental filtering induced by clearcut‐logging results in functional/phylogenetic clustering in younger forests, while biotic filtering (competitive exclusion) promotes functional/phylogenetic overdispersion in old‐growth forests. From this perspective, we examined the patterns of functional/phylogenetic structures using tree community data (147 species × 170 plots). These data were chronosequenced from clearcut secondary forests to old‐growth subtropical forests in the Ryukyu Archipelago, with species’ trait data (leaf and stem) and species level phylogeny. To detect clustering or overdispersion in the functional and phylogenetic structures, we calculated the standardized effect size of mean nearest trait distance and mean nearest phylogenetic distance within the plots. Functional or phylogenetic clustering was relatively weak in secondary forests, and their directional change with increasing forest age was not generally detected. Mean nearest trait/phylogenetic distance for most plots fell within the range of random expectation. The results suggest that abiotic/biotic filtering related to functional traits or phylogenetic relatedness plays a diminished role in shaping species assembly during secondary succession in the subtropical forest. Our findings of functional and phylogenetic properties might shed light on the importance of dispersal (stochastic) processes in the regional species pool during community reassembly after anthropogenic disturbance. It will also contribute to the development of coordinated schemes that maintain potential species assembly processes in the subtropical forest.

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Using tree functional diversity to evaluate management impacts in a subtropical forest

Cited by 28 publications

References 62 publications

Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along a secondary successional gradient in a tropical forest

Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along a secondary successional gradient in a tropical forest

Climatic drivers of trait assembly in woody plants in Japan

Dispersal process driving subtropical forest reassembly: evidence from functional and phylogenetic analysis

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