School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Herbarium, Mt. Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Brisbane, Queensland, 4066, Australia.
Ecol Appl. 2018 Jun;28(4):1116-1125. doi: 10.1002/eap.1715. Epub 2018 Apr 26.
Can morphological plant functional traits predict demographic rates (e.g., growth) within plant communities as diverse as tropical forests? This is one of the most important next-step questions in trait-based ecology and particularly for global reforestation efforts. Due to the diversity of tropical tree species and their longevity, it is difficult to predict their performance prior to reforestation efforts. In this study, we investigate if simple leaf traits are predictors of the more complex ecological process of plant growth in regenerating selectively logged natural forest within the Wet Tropics (WTs) bioregion of Australia. This study used a rich historical data set to quantify tree growth within plots located at Danbulla National Park and State Forest on the Atherton Tableland. Leaf traits were collected from trees that have exhibited fast or slow growth over the last ~50 yr of measurement. Leaf traits were found to be poor predictors of tree growth for trees that have entered the canopy; however, for sub-canopy trees, leaf traits had a stronger association with growth rates. Leaf phosphorus concentrations were the strongest predictor of Periodic Annual Increment (PAI) for trees growing within the sub-canopy, with trees with higher leaf phosphorus levels showing a higher PAI. Sub-canopy tree leaves also exhibited stronger trade-offs between leaf traits and adhere to theoretical predictions more so than for canopy trees. We suggest that, in order for leaf traits to be more applicable to reforestation, size dependence of traits and growth relationships need to be more carefully considered, particularly when reforestation practitioners assign mean trait values to tropical tree species from multiple canopy strata.
形态植物功能性状能否预测植物群落中的种群动态（如生长）？这是基于性状的生态学中最重要的下一步问题之一，特别是对于全球再造林努力而言。由于热带树种的多样性及其长寿性，在进行再造林工作之前，很难预测它们的表现。在这项研究中，我们调查了简单的叶片性状是否可以预测在澳大利亚潮湿热带（WTs）生物区选择性采伐天然林恢复过程中更复杂的植物生长生态过程。本研究利用丰富的历史数据集，量化了位于丹布拉国家公园和阿瑟顿台地州立森林的样地内树木的生长情况。从过去 50 年中表现出快速或缓慢生长的树木中收集了叶片性状。对于已经进入树冠的树木，叶片性状是树木生长的不良预测因子；然而，对于亚冠层树木，叶片性状与生长速率的相关性更强。叶片磷浓度是亚冠层内树木周期性年度增量（PAI）的最强预测因子，叶片磷水平较高的树木表现出较高的 PAI。亚冠层树木叶片在性状之间的权衡关系上表现出更强的相关性，并且比树冠层树木更符合理论预测。我们建议，为了使叶片性状更适用于再造林，需要更仔细地考虑性状的大小依赖性和生长关系，特别是当再造林从业者从多个树冠层分配热带树种的平均性状值时。
