OOS 16-5 - Taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of understorey plants respond differently to environmental conditions in European forest edges

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM EDT

Location: 524A

Presenting Author(s)

KD

Karen De Pauw

Ghent University, Belgium

Co-author(s)

CM

Camille Meeussen

University of Ghent
SG

Sanne Govaert

University of Ghent
PS

Pieter Sanczuk

University of Ghent
TV

Thomas Vanneste

University of Ghent
MB

Markus Bernhardt-Roemermann

University of Jena, Germany
KB

Kurt Bollmann

Forest, snow and landscape Research WSL
JB

Jörg Brunet

Swedisch University of Agricultural sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
KC

Kim Calders

Department of Environment, Ghent University, Belgium
SC

Sara A.O. Cousins

Stockholm university
MD

Martin Diekmann

Bremen university
PH

Per-Ola Hedwall

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
GI

Giovanni Iacopetti

University of Florence
JL

Jonathan Lenoir

Université de Picardie Jules Verne, France
SL

Sigrid Lindmo

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
AO

Anna Orczewska

University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland;
QP

Quentin Ponette

Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la- Neuve, Belgium
JP

Jan Plue

13IVL Swedish Environmental Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
FS

Federico Selvi

University of Florence
HV

Hans Verbeeck

Department of Environment, Ghent University, Belgium
PV

Pieter Vermeir

University of Ghent
FZ

Florian Zellweger

Forest, snow and landscape Research WSL
KV

Kris Verheyen

Gent University, Belgium
PV

Pieter Vangansbeke

University of Ghent
PD

Pieter De Frenne

University of Ghent

Background/Question/Methods
Forest biodiversity world-wide is affected by climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, and today 20% of the forest area is located within 100 m of a forest edge. Still, forest edges harbour a substantial amount of terrestrial biodiversity,
especially in the understorey. The functional and phylogenetic diversity of forest edges have never been studied simultaneously at a continental scale, in spite of their importance for the forests' functioning and for communities' resilience to future change.

We assessed nine metrics of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of understorey plant communities in 225 plots spread along edge-to-interior gradients in deciduous forests across Europe. We then derived the relative effects and importance of edaphic, stand and landscape conditions on the diversity metrics.

Results/Conclusions
Here, we show that taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity metrics respond differently to environmental conditions. We report an increase in functional diversity in plots with stronger microclimatic buffering, in spite of their lower taxonomic species richness. Additionally, we found increased taxonomic species richness at the forest edge, but in forests with intermediate and high openness, these communities had decreased phylogenetic diversity.

Functional and phylogenetic diversity revealed complementary and important insights in community assembly mechanisms. Several environmental filters were identified as potential drivers of the patterns, such as a colder macroclimate and less buffered microclimate for functional diversity. For phylogenetic diversity, edaphic conditions were more important. Interestingly, plots with lower soil pH had decreased taxonomic species richness, but led to increased phylogenetic diversity, challenging the phylogenetic niche conservatism concept.

Taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of understorey communities in forest edges respond differently to environmental conditions, providing insight into different community assembly mechanisms and their interactions. Therefore, it is important to look beyond species richness with phylogenetic and functional diversity approaches when focusing on forest understorey biodiversity.