Global relationships in tree functional traits
Nature Communications, vol. 13, pp. 3185
Abstract
Due to massive energetic investments in woody support structures, trees are subject to unique physiological, mechanical, and ecological pressures not experienced by herbaceous plants. Despite a wealth of studies exploring trait relationships across the entire plant kingdom, the dominant traits underpinning these unique aspects of tree form and function remain unclear. Here, by considering 18 functional traits, encompassing leaf, seed, bark, wood, crown, and root characteristics, we quantify the multidimensional relationships in tree trait expression. We find that nearly half of trait variation is captured by two axes: one reflecting leaf economics, the other reflecting tree size and competition for light. Yet these orthogonal axes reveal strong environmental convergence, exhibiting correlated responses to temperature, moisture, and elevation. By subsequently exploring multidimensional trait relationships, we show that the full dimensionality of trait space is captured by eight distinct clusters, each reflecting a unique aspect of tree form and function. Collectively, this work identifies a core set of traits needed to quantify global patterns in functional biodiversity, and it contributes to our fundamental understanding of the functioning of forests worldwide.
Authors 32
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Daniel S. Maynard corresponding
ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland. dan.s.maynard@gmail.com
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology · Stanford University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
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Canadian Forest Service · Natural Resources Canada
Affiliation as printed
Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste Marie, ON, P6A 2E5, Canada
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University of Oxford · Lancaster University
Affiliation as printed
Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Geography, King's College London, 30 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Biotechnologies and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria, 21100, Varese, Italy
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Affiliation as printed
Goethe University, Institute for Physical Geography, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Biology Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Avenida carrera 24 # 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel St. 33, 1190, Vienna, Austria
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Affiliation as printed
Environmental Research Institute, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
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Affiliation as printed
Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan
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Estonian University of Life Sciences
Affiliation as printed
Chair of Crop Science and Plant Biology, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, 51006, Estonia
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Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Affiliation as printed
Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement · Universidade Federal de Pernambuco · Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement · UMR Botanique et Modélisation de l’Architecture des Plantes et des végétations · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Affiliation as printed
AMAP, Univ Montpellier, INRAe, CIRAD, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Affiliation as printed
Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-275, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, Ottilie-Zeller-Weg 2, D-70599, Stuttgart, Germany
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Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Affiliation as printed
Komarov Botanical Institute, Prof. Popov str., 2, St. Petersburg, 197376, Russia
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Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina
Affiliation as printed
Department of Forestry, Santa Catarina State University, Lages, SC, 88520-000, Brazil
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Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
Affiliation as printed
Embrapa Clima Temperado, Pelotas, RS, 96010-971, Brazil
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environmental Science, Leiden University, 2333 CC, Leiden, the Netherlands
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University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, 54702, USA
Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, 54702, USA
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Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Affiliation as printed
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745, Jena, Germany
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German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research · Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Affiliation as printed
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745, Jena, Germany
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ETH Zurich · Institute of Integrative Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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