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Published VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Seedling diversity in actively and passively restored tropical forest understories
Ecological Applications, Vol.31(3), pp.1-12
2021
PMID: 33421244
Abstract
Alternative methods for restoring tropical forests influence the ecological processes that shape recruitment of understorey species. In turn, the traits of species recruited will influence the ecological processes the forests provide now and over the long‐term. We assess the phylogenetic and functional structure of seedlings beneath monoculture plantations, mixed‐species plantations (both active restoration) and regenerating selectively logged native forests (passive restoration), considering traits of specific leaf area (SLA, including within‐species variation), leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content, life‐form, potential plant height and dispersal type. Monoculture plantations comprised seedlings that were more closely related then would be expected by chance (i.e., phylogenetically clustered), and regenerating forest contained species more distantly related then would be expected by chance (i.e., phylogenetically overdispersed). This suggests that seedlings beneath monocultures assemble through environmental filtering and through the dispersal limitation of predictable functional guilds. However, dispersal limitation is frequently overcome by human‐assisted dispersal, increasing trait diversity. Comparing SLA values revealed that regenerating forests recruit seedlings with both high and low mean and variation of SLA, leading to higher overall diversity. Regenerating forest seedlings showed signs of environmental filtering, only based on within‐species variation of SLA. Regenerating forest understories appear to favour species that show a high intra‐specific variation in SLA values (e.g., Pterocarpus indicus Willd.) and at the same time provided habitat for later‐successional seedlings that show a lower intra‐specific variation in SLA (e.g., Canarium luzonicum (Blume) A.Gray). This trait diversity suggests limiting similarity or competitive exclusion may be reduced because of niche differences, allowing species with different traits to co‐exist. Phylogenetic and functionally distinct species are restricted in their regeneration capacity, many of which are of conservation significance (under the IUCN Red List). Reforestation projects should maximise desired ecological services (including conservation value) by actively managing for the recruitment of species that are phylogenetically and functionally (including intra‐specifically) distinct. This management aim will increase the probability of fulfilling a wider array of niche spaces and potentially increase the diversity of ecosystem services provided.
Details
- Title
- Seedling diversity in actively and passively restored tropical forest understories
- Authors
- Jarrah Wills (Corresponding Author) - The University of QueenslandJohn Herbohn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research CentreJessie Wells (Author) - The University of QueenslandMaria Opelia Maranguit Moreno (Author) - Visayas State UniversityAngela Ferraren (Author) - Visayas State UniversityJennifer Firn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
- Publication details
- Ecological Applications, Vol.31(3), pp.1-12; 12
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- Date published
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1002/eap.2286
- ISSN
- 1939-5582; 1051-0761
- PMID
- 33421244
- Copyright note
- © 2021 The Authors. Ecological Applications published byWiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Ecological Society of America. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
- Organisation Unit
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre; Forest Research Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99502308302621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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