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Inverse relationship between species competitiveness and intraspecific trait variability may enable species coexistence in experimental seedling communities

Author

Listed:
  • Jing Yang

    (East China Normal University)

  • Xiya Wang

    (East China Normal University)

  • Carlos P. Carmona

    (University of Tartu)

  • Xihua Wang

    (East China Normal University
    1515 North Zhongshan Rd. (No.2))

  • Guochun Shen

    (East China Normal University
    1515 North Zhongshan Rd. (No.2))

Abstract

Theory suggests that intraspecific trait variability may promote species coexistence when competitively inferior species have higher intraspecific trait variability than their superior competitors. Here, we provide empirical evidence for this phenomenon in tree seedlings. We evaluated intraspecific variability and plastic response of ten traits in 6750 seedlings of ten species in a three-year greenhouse experiment. While we observed no relationship between intraspecific trait variability and species competitiveness in competition-free homogeneous environments, an inverse relationship emerged under interspecific competition and in spatially heterogeneous environments. We showed that this relationship is driven by the plastic response of the competitively inferior species: Compared to their competitively superior counterparts, they exhibited a greater increase in trait variability, particularly in fine-root traits, in response to competition, environmental heterogeneity and their combination. Our findings contribute to understanding how interspecific competition and intraspecific trait variability together structure plant communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing Yang & Xiya Wang & Carlos P. Carmona & Xihua Wang & Guochun Shen, 2024. "Inverse relationship between species competitiveness and intraspecific trait variability may enable species coexistence in experimental seedling communities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-47295-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47295-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan M. Levine & Jordi Bascompte & Peter B. Adler & Stefano Allesina, 2017. "Beyond pairwise mechanisms of species coexistence in complex communities," Nature, Nature, vol. 546(7656), pages 56-64, June.
    2. John Horn, 1965. "A rationale and test for the number of factors in factor analysis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 30(2), pages 179-185, June.
    3. Michal Gruntman & Dorothee Groß & Maria Májeková & Katja Tielbörger, 2017. "Decision-making in plants under competition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, December.
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