Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Synthesis
Intransitivity increased the functional diversity of drylands, particularly under high rainfall seasonality, by limiting functionally dominant species. Our findings specify how intransitivity structures the functional diversity of dryland vegetation worldwide. Intransitivity may be particularly important in ecosystems where the availability of abiotic resources changes over time, thereby breaking down inherent competitive hierarchies between plant species. Neglecting intransitivity will bias our estimation of the impacts of biotic interactions on plant communities, a fundamental issue to fully understand how plant communities will respond to ongoing environmental changes.
SUBMITTER: Saiz H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6287709 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
journal of ecology. 20180614 1
1. Biotic interactions are key determinants of plant community structure. Indirect interactions such as intransitivity (<i>i.e.</i> in the absence of competitive hierarchies among species) have been hypothesized to benefit diversity within plant communities. However, their effect on functional diversity remains scarcely explored in real communities. Here we develop a novel approach to infer intransitivity from plant spatial patterns and functional traits (height and specific leaf area), and quan ...[more]