TY - JOUR
T1 - Fine scale heterogeneity of soil properties causes seedling spatial niche separation in a tropical rainforest
AU - Xia, Shang Wen
AU - Cao, Min
AU - Yang, Xiaodong
AU - Chen, Jin
AU - Goodale, Uromi Manage
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.
PY - 2019/5
Y1 - 2019/5
N2 - Aims In tropical rainforests, seedling performance at fine ecological scales has traditionally been explained by seed dispersal limitation and negative density dependence. Soil properties have strong patch structures at fine scales, and we investigated whether such heterogeneity contributes to seedling coexistence. Methods From January 2011 to January 2014, in a onehectare area of tropical rainforest in Southwest China, we sampled seedlings from ninety-nine 2-m2 quadrats, and measured light condition (canopy openness), and the height (>10 cm) of seedlings at bi-monthly intervals. In addition,wemeasured soil pH, total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate, and available phosphorus and potassium three times during the survey period. These data were used to examine the effects of soil properties and light on seedling spatial distribution, survival, and growth. Results Seedling spatial distribution was significantly associated with light and spatial heterogeneity in all the examined soil properties except available K. These fine scale soil properties and light heterogeneity also promoted seedling growth, whereas they had no discernible effects on seedling survival. Conclusion This study highlights the effects of fine scale soil property heterogeneity on seedling spatial distribution and growth, and indicates their importance in the maintenance of seedling biodiversity.
AB - Aims In tropical rainforests, seedling performance at fine ecological scales has traditionally been explained by seed dispersal limitation and negative density dependence. Soil properties have strong patch structures at fine scales, and we investigated whether such heterogeneity contributes to seedling coexistence. Methods From January 2011 to January 2014, in a onehectare area of tropical rainforest in Southwest China, we sampled seedlings from ninety-nine 2-m2 quadrats, and measured light condition (canopy openness), and the height (>10 cm) of seedlings at bi-monthly intervals. In addition,wemeasured soil pH, total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate, and available phosphorus and potassium three times during the survey period. These data were used to examine the effects of soil properties and light on seedling spatial distribution, survival, and growth. Results Seedling spatial distribution was significantly associated with light and spatial heterogeneity in all the examined soil properties except available K. These fine scale soil properties and light heterogeneity also promoted seedling growth, whereas they had no discernible effects on seedling survival. Conclusion This study highlights the effects of fine scale soil property heterogeneity on seedling spatial distribution and growth, and indicates their importance in the maintenance of seedling biodiversity.
KW - Canopy openness
KW - Niche differentiation
KW - Nutrient patch
KW - Outlying mean index method
KW - Seedling regeneration
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064281220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11104-019-04027-8
DO - 10.1007/s11104-019-04027-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85064281220
SN - 0032-079X
VL - 438
SP - 435
EP - 445
JO - Plant and Soil
JF - Plant and Soil
ER -