TY - JOUR

T1 - Growth-trait relationships in subtropical forest are stronger at higher diversity

AU - Bongers, Franca J.

AU - Schmid, Bernhard

AU - Sun, Zhenkai

AU - Li, Yin

AU - Härdtle, Werner

AU - von Oheimb, Goddert

AU - Li, Ying

AU - Li, Shan

AU - Staab, Michael

AU - Ma, Keping

AU - Liu, Xiaojuan

N1 - We acknowledge the support of the BEF-China research group, especially many students and local helpers involved in setting up the plots and collecting the numerous data. We also thank the anonymous referees for their helpful comments made to this paper. This study was financially supported by the National Science and Technology Ministry Major Project (2017YFA0605103), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB31000000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31870409), CAS Interdisciplinary Innovation Team (JCTD-2018-06), Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS and the German Research Foundation (DFG FOR 891). B.S. was supported by the University of Zurich Research Priority Program on Global Change and Biodiversity (URPP GCB).

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - 1. Understanding how species diversity affects plant performance is a central question in biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (BEF) research. At the community level, functional trait means and trait dissimilarities have been used to explain biodiversity effects, but with mixed success. To disentangle how functional traits explain community growth and underpin biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships, we should elucidate how plant traits affect individual growth across species richness levels, because the role of functional traits on growth depends on the ecological context of the individual.2. We addressed this topic by using detailed data of twelve functional traits and annual growth for 529 individual trees of 31 species at five species‐richness levels in a large forest biodiversity experiment in south‐east China from 4 to 9 years after planting.3. Our analyses show first that individual trait values can change with species richness, indicating that trait values can change due to the biotic context. Secondly, we show that early tree growth is more strongly affected by traits than by species richness. Finally, our data show that growth–trait relationships can change with species richness and with forest age. Trait effects on growth are more pronounced at higher richness levels, indicating that measuring traits on individual trees across richness levels can improve growth predictions and inference of BEF relationships that are shaped by functional traits.4. Synthesis. This study shows that functional trait values and their effect on individual tree growth depend on species richness. Our data support the notion that to elucidate how functional traits shape biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships, an important step is to consider the biotic context of individual trees within a community. We have made an initial step by analysing how functional traits affect individual‐tree growth in a diversity‐dependent manner and future research should continue by elucidating the role of traits on tree–tree interactions across diversity levels.

AB - 1. Understanding how species diversity affects plant performance is a central question in biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (BEF) research. At the community level, functional trait means and trait dissimilarities have been used to explain biodiversity effects, but with mixed success. To disentangle how functional traits explain community growth and underpin biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships, we should elucidate how plant traits affect individual growth across species richness levels, because the role of functional traits on growth depends on the ecological context of the individual.2. We addressed this topic by using detailed data of twelve functional traits and annual growth for 529 individual trees of 31 species at five species‐richness levels in a large forest biodiversity experiment in south‐east China from 4 to 9 years after planting.3. Our analyses show first that individual trait values can change with species richness, indicating that trait values can change due to the biotic context. Secondly, we show that early tree growth is more strongly affected by traits than by species richness. Finally, our data show that growth–trait relationships can change with species richness and with forest age. Trait effects on growth are more pronounced at higher richness levels, indicating that measuring traits on individual trees across richness levels can improve growth predictions and inference of BEF relationships that are shaped by functional traits.4. Synthesis. This study shows that functional trait values and their effect on individual tree growth depend on species richness. Our data support the notion that to elucidate how functional traits shape biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships, an important step is to consider the biotic context of individual trees within a community. We have made an initial step by analysing how functional traits affect individual‐tree growth in a diversity‐dependent manner and future research should continue by elucidating the role of traits on tree–tree interactions across diversity levels.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - BEF-China

KW - ecosystem function

KW - individual growth

KW - plant development and life-history traits

KW - species diversity

KW - trait variation

KW - tree growth

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85076502661&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/f26480be-a28b-33c4-92e4-51525457e84a/

U2 - 10.1111/1365-2745.13242

DO - 10.1111/1365-2745.13242

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 108

SP - 256

EP - 266

JO - Journal of Ecology

JF - Journal of Ecology

SN - 0022-0477

IS - 1

ER -