Abstract
• Introduction
Various processes contribute to sha** the local assemblage of species in hyperdiverse tropical forest. The relative contribution of environmental factors and dispersal limitation in determining the spatial distribution of saplings at local scale is unclear.
• Methods
We examined two types of environmental factors: (a) soil type reflecting drainage regime and (b) past logging damages reflecting light regime in a neotropical moist forest site. We used a logistic model to predict presence or absence of a given species in a network of elementary small plots.
• Results
The effect of mapped environmental factors and a spatial correlation term were jointly estimated providing a direct measure of the relative role of habitat specialisation and dispersal limitation. At community level, dispersal limitation was the most important determinant of species absence at local scale. The two environmental factors examined played a balanced role. Different species however showed different degrees of dispersal limitation and habitat specialisation. The distribution of a large proportion of species—the majority of the most abundant species—was significantly affected by at least one environmental factor. We provide a ranking of 49 species sensitive to canopy disturbance (from shade specialist to pioneer) and 41 species affected by seasonal flooding (either positively or negatively).
Résumé
Divers processus gouvernent la composition floristique stationnelle en forêt tropicale hyperdiverse. La contribution relative des facteurs environnementaux et de la dispersion limitée n’est pas clairement établie. Nous examinons dans cette étude deux types de contraintes environnementales: le régime de drainage d’une part et l’impact des perturbations d’une exploitation forestière passée d’autre part. Nous utilisons un modèle logistique pour prédire la présence ou l’absence d’une espèce dans un réseau de placettes de 25m2. L’effet de facteurs environnementaux et d’un terme de corrélation spatiale sont estimés conjointement fournissant ainsi pour chaque espèce une estimation du poids relatif de l’affinité avec chacune des caractéristiques environnementales locale et de la limitation de dispersion. A l’échelle de la communauté la limitation de dispersion se révèle être le facteur prépondérant. Les deux variables environnementales semblent jouer un rôle d’importance comparable. Le poids des facteurs varie très nettement entre espèces. La distribution spatiale d’une grande proportion d’espèces —la majorité des espèces les plus abondantes — est sensible à au moins un des deux facteurs environnementaux étudiés. Nous proposons un classement de 49 espèces en termes de sensibilité à l’ouverture de la canopée (depuis les plus sciaphiles jusqu’aux espèces pionnières) et un classement de 41 espèces en termes de sensibilité (attraction ou répulsion) à l’engorgement saisonnier des sols.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank François Munoz for comments on an earlier draft and Vivien Rossi for helpful discussions on statistical issues. Many thanks to Lilian Blanc for making available sapling inventory data (dataset 2) and the canopy disturbance map of the CIRAD Paracou experimental site. This study benefited from partial funding by the European Regional Development Fund (convention n° 2828).
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Vincent, G., Molino, JF., Marescot, L. et al. The relative importance of dispersal limitation and habitat preference in sha** spatial distribution of saplings in a tropical moist forest: a case study along a combination of hydromorphic and canopy disturbance gradients. Annals of Forest Science 68, 357–370 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-011-0024-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-011-0024-z