Impact of Microtopography and Neighborhood Effects on Individual Survival Across Life History Stages
Haonan Zhang,
Xiao Zheng,
Yi Wu,
Baokun Xu,
Peng Cui,
Xu Zhou,
Yanming Fang,
Lei Xie,
Hui Ding
Affiliations
Haonan Zhang
Innovative Research Team for Forest Restoration Mechanisms, Chishui National Ecological Quality Comprehensive Monitoring Stations, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Nanjing 210042, China
Xiao Zheng
Research Center for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity, State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory on Biosafety, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Nanjing 210042, China
Yi Wu
Research Center for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity, State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory on Biosafety, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Nanjing 210042, China
Baokun Xu
Innovative Research Team for Forest Restoration Mechanisms, Chishui National Ecological Quality Comprehensive Monitoring Stations, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Nanjing 210042, China
Peng Cui
Research Center for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity, State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory on Biosafety, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Nanjing 210042, China
Xu Zhou
Research Center for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity, State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory on Biosafety, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Nanjing 210042, China
Yanming Fang
Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Lei Xie
Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Hui Ding
Research Center for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity, State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory on Biosafety, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Nanjing 210042, China
Understanding drivers of plant community assembly and individual survival in forest ecosystems is crucial for effective conservation and management. While macro-scale factors influencing vegetation patterns are well documented, the combined impact of microtopographic variations and neighborhood effects at neighborhood scales, particularly in subtropical forests, requires further study. To contribute to this area of research, we established a 9.6 ha dynamic plot in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest to examine the interplay between microtopographic factors and neighborhood effects on individual plant survival across different life stages. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of microtopographic variables and neighborhood effects, with individual plant survival censused through repeated surveys at 5-year intervals. Mixed-effects models were employed to assess the combined influence of these factors across life stages. Our results reveal that both microtopographic factors and neighborhood effects significantly influence plant survival, with their impacts varying across life stages. Water availability, represented by flow direction, emerged as a consistently critical factor throughout all life stages. Elevation and the topographic position index showed significant positive effects on survival, particularly in later life stages, possibly reflecting adaptations to light acquisition and water drainage. The influence of topographic factors intensified with succession, while the impact of neighborhood effects, particularly asymmetric competition and conspecific negative density dependence, changed as plants matured. This study enhances our understanding of forest community assembly, emphasizing the importance of considering abiotic and biotic factors across multiple scales for effective forest conservation and management. It provides insights into mechanisms driving spatial variation in community composition, crucial for preserving biodiversity in heterogeneous forest landscapes.
