Foliar elementome and functional traits relationships identify tree species niche in French Guiana rainforests
Sardans i Galobart, Jordi (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Llusia, Joan (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Ogaya Inurrigarro, Romà (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Vallicrosa Pou, Helena (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Filella, Iolanda (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Gargallo-Garriga, Albert (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Peguero, Guille (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Van Langenhove, Leandro (University of Antwerp. Department of Biology)
Verryckt, Lore (University of Antwerp. Department of Biology)
Stahl, Clément (Université des Antilles. AgroParisTech)
Courtois, Elodie (Université de Guyane. AgroParisTech)
Bréchet, Laëtitia (University of Antwerp. Department of Biology)
Tariq, Akash (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology)
Zeng, Fanjiang (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology)
Alrefaei, Abdulwahed Fahad (King Saud University. Department of Zoology)
Wang, Weiqi (Fujian Normal University. Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process)
Janssens, Ivan (University of Antwerp)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)

Date:	2023
Abstract:	Biogeochemical niche (BN) hypothesis aims to relate species/genotype elemental composition with its niche based on the fact that different elements are involved differentially in distinct plant functions. We here test the BN hypothesis through the analysis of the 10 foliar elemental concentrations and 20 functional-morphological of 60 tree species in a French Guiana tropical forest. We observed strong legacy (phylogenic + species) signals in the species-specific foliar elemental composition (elementome) and, for the first time, provide empirical evidence for a relationship between species-specific foliar elementome and functional traits. Our study thus supports the BN hypothesis and confirms the general niche segregation process through which the species-specific use of bio-elements drives the high levels of α-diversity in this tropical forest. We show that the simple analysis of foliar elementomes may be used to test for BNs of co-occurring species in highly diverse ecosystems, such as tropical rainforests. Although cause and effect mechanisms of leaf functional and morphological traits in species-specific use of bio-elements require confirmation, we posit the hypothesis that divergences in functional-morphological niches and species-specific biogeochemical use are likely to have co-evolved.
Grants:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca SGR 2017-1005 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-115770RB-I Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2019-110521GB-I00
Note:	Altres ajuts: Fundación Ramón Areces. Grant Number: CIVP20A6621
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Subject:	Diversity ; Foliar elementome ; Nitrogen ; Phosphorus ; Phylogeny ; Stoichiometry ; Sympatric speciation ; Tropical forest
Published in:	Ecology, Vol. 104, issue 11 (Nov. 2023) , art. e4118, ISSN 1939-9170

DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4118

Available from: 2024-11-30

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles