Authors
Margaret R Metz, S Joseph Wright, Jess K Zimmerman, Andrés Hernandéz, Samuel M Smith, Nathan G Swenson, M Natalia Umaña, L Renato Valencia, Ina Waring‐Enriquez, Mason Wordell, Milton Zambrano, Nancy C Garwood
Publication date
2023/12
Journal
Journal of Ecology
Volume
111
Issue
12
Pages
2568-2582
Description
- Understanding the mechanisms that promote the coexistence of hundreds of species over small areas in tropical forest remains a challenge. Many tropical tree species are presumed to be functionally equivalent shade tolerant species but exist on a continuum of performance trade‐offs between survival in shade and the ability to quickly grow in sunlight. These trade‐offs can promote coexistence by reducing fitness differences.
- Variation in plant functional traits related to resource acquisition is thought to predict variation in performance among species, perhaps explaining community assembly across habitats with gradients in resource availability. Many studies have found low predictive power, however, when linking trait measurements to species demographic rates.
- Seedlings face different challenges recruiting on the forest floor and may exhibit different traits and/or performance trade‐offs than older individuals …
Total citations
20242
Scholar articles
MR Metz, SJ Wright, JK Zimmerman, A Hernandéz… - Journal of Ecology, 2023