Mechanisms of coexistence : exploring species sorting and character displacement in woody plants to alleviate belowground competition
Veresoglou, Stavros (Sun Yat-Sen University. School of Ecology)
Xi, Jingjing (Sun Yat-Sen University. School of Ecology)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)

Data:	2024
Resum:	Rarely do we observe competitive exclusion within plant communities, even though plants compete for a limited pool of resources. Thus, our understanding of the mechanisms sustaining plant biodiversity might be limited. In this study, we explore two common ecological strategies, species sorting and character displacement, that promote coexistence by reducing competition. We assess the degree to which woody plants may implement these two strategies to lower belowground competition for nutrients which occurs via nutritional (mostly mycorrhizal) mutualisms. First, we compile data on plant traits and the mycorrhizal association state of woody angiosperms using a global inventory of indigenous flora. Our analysis reveals that species in locations with high mycorrhizal diversity exhibit distinct mean values in leaf area and wood density based on their mycorrhizal type, indicating species sorting. Second, we reanalyse a large dataset on leaf area to demonstrate that in areas with high mycorrhizal diversity, trees maintain divergent leaf area values, showcasing character displacement. Character displacement among plants is considered rare, making our observation significant. In summary, our study uncovers a rare occurrence of character displacement and identifies a common mechanism employed by plants to alleviate competition, shedding light on the complexities of plant coexistence in diverse ecosystems.
Ajuts:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2022-140808NB-I00 Agencia Estatal de Investigación TED2021-132627B-I00 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-115770RB-I Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-1333
Nota:	Altres ajuts: the Fundación Ramón Areces Project CIVP20A6621.
Drets:	Aquest material està protegit per drets d'autor i/o drets afins. Podeu utilitzar aquest material en funció del que permet la legislació de drets d'autor i drets afins d'aplicació al vostre cas. Per a d'altres usos heu d'obtenir permís del(s) titular(s) de drets.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Matèria:	Character displacement ; Leaf mass ; Leaf traits ; Mycorrhiza ; Plant competition ; Species sorting
Publicat a:	Ecology letters, Vol. 27, issue 8 (August 2024) , art. e144892024, ISSN 1461-0248

DOI: 10.1111/ele.14489

Postprint 31 p, 807.8 KB

El registre apareix a les col·leccions:
Documents de recerca > Documents dels grups de recerca de la UAB > Centres i grups de recerca (producció científica) > Ciències > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Articles de recerca
Articles > Articles publicats