Differences in traits and ecological behaviors between plants of different distribution patterns in eight subtropical broad-leaved forests

Abstract

The plants that comprise the vegetation of Chinese subtropics are diverse with respect to geographical distribution patterns. Understanding how the plants with different geographical distribution patterns that live together in this region differ in their ecological niches, would advance our knowledge of species coexistence mechanisms. Here, based on the data of woody angiosperm community composition in eight broad-leaved forest dynamics plots widely distributed in the Chinese subtropics, by adopting statistical methods such as phylogenetic linear model and analysis of variance (ANOVA), we examined the differences in life history traits, including leaf habit and growth form, as well as ecological behaviors (i.e., Ellenberg indicator values), between the plants of temperate distribution pattern genera and the plants of tropical distribution pattern genera. The results were as follows: (1) For the 265 study genera, distribution pattern genus showed a significant phylogenetic signal (i.e., Pagel's λ = 0.935, P< 0.001). (2) The temperate distribution pattern genera comprised a higher ratio of deciduous broad-leaved plants and trees than the tropical distribution pattern genera, and there were more evergreen broad-leaved plants and shrub in tropical distribution pattern. (3) The plants of temperate distribution pattern genera exist in environments with high light, low temperature and water compared with the plants of tropical distribution pattern genera, regardless of the effects of leaf habit and growth form were controlled or not. (4) For all the plants, or for each leaf habit or growth form group separately, the ratio of species richness of the temperate distribution pattern genera to the tropical distribution pattern genera in the forest was controlled by mean annual temperature (MAT). The findings imply that the plants of temperate and tropical distribution pattern genera differe in both their life history traits as well as their ecological behaviors, and the geographical turnover of plants of these two distribution patterns in the Chinese subtropical broad-leaved forests is largely controlled by MAT.

Keywords

• distribution pattern
• niche
• ecological indicatior value
• subtropical forest
• chinese forest biodiversity monitoring network