Canopy Composition Outperforms Macroenvironment in Explaining European Forest Understory Composition

IF 6.3 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ECOLOGY

Global Ecology and Biogeography Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI:10.1111/geb.70079

Jesús Sánchez-Dávila, Jonathan Lenoir, Ewa Stefańska-Krzaczek, Idoia Biurrun, Thomas Wohlgemuth, Juan Antonio Campos, Jens-Christian Svenning, Gianmaria Bonari, Josep Padullés Cubino

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Aim

Diversity patterns in forest understories have traditionally been studied using macroclimatic variables. However, microenvironmental conditions below forest canopies are likely more relevant, though difficult to obtain. Species composition of the canopy layers can serve as a proxy for capturing microenvironmental conditions underneath trees and shrubs. In this study, we modelled the understory plant species (herbaceous and small woody species < 2 m) composition across European forests.

Time Period

Present day.

Location

All forest types across Europe.

Taxa Studied

Vascular plants.

Methods

We compared the performance of a baseline model relying solely on macroenvironmental predictor variables against several canopy-informed models incorporating three β-diversity facets (taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic) of the canopy layers (i.e., the tree and shrub layer). We subsequently decomposed the explained deviance in the observed spatial variation in taxonomic composition of the understory layer between macroenvironmental conditions and all three facets of canopy-derived metrics of β-diversity. We finally compared and mapped spatial predictions in understory plant species composition between the baseline model and the best-performing canopy-informed model.

Results

Our canopy-informed models that included β-diversity metrics of canopy layers outperformed the baseline model based solely on macroenvironmental predictors. Beta-diversity metrics relying on canopy species composition provided a greater explanatory power than macroenvironmental predictors. Specifically, the taxonomic β-diversity of the shrub layer, followed by that of the tree layer, was the main variable driving the most performant canopy-informed model. Maps of the predicted understory species composition indicated greater site heterogeneity when relying on canopy-informed models than on the baseline model.

Conclusions

This work highlights how the inclusion of taxonomical species composition from the canopy layers can significantly improve the modelling of the understory plant species composition.

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在解释欧洲森林林下植被组成时，冠层组成优于宏观环境

目的传统上利用宏观气候变量研究林下植被多样性格局。然而，森林冠层以下的微环境条件可能更为相关，尽管难以获得。冠层的物种组成可以作为捕获乔灌木下微环境条件的代理。在这项研究中，我们模拟了整个欧洲森林的林下植物物种（草本和小木本物种）组成。时间：现在。地理位置欧洲所有的森林类型。研究维管植物。方法将仅依赖宏观环境预测变量的基线模型与包含树冠层（即乔木和灌木层）的三个β多样性方面（分类、功能和系统发育）的几种树冠信息模型的性能进行比较。随后，我们分解了观测到的林下层分类组成的空间变异在宏观环境条件和冠层衍生的β多样性指标的所有三个方面之间的解释偏差。最后，我们比较和绘制了基线模型和最佳冠层信息模型对林下植物物种组成的空间预测。结果包括冠层β-多样性指标的冠层信息模型优于仅基于宏观环境预测因子的基线模型。基于冠层物种组成的β多样性指标比宏观环境预测指标具有更强的解释力。具体而言，灌木层的分类多样性是驱动最有效的冠层信息模型的主要变量，其次是乔木层的分类多样性。预测的林下物种组成图显示，与基线模型相比，基于冠层信息模型的立地异质性更大。结论研究表明，纳入林冠层的物种组成可以显著改善林下植物物种组成的建模。

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来源期刊

Global Ecology and Biogeography 环境科学-生态学

CiteScore

12.10

自引率

3.10%

发文量

170

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Global Ecology and Biogeography (GEB) welcomes papers that investigate broad-scale (in space, time and/or taxonomy), general patterns in the organization of ecological systems and assemblages, and the processes that underlie them. In particular, GEB welcomes studies that use macroecological methods, comparative analyses, meta-analyses, reviews, spatial analyses and modelling to arrive at general, conceptual conclusions. Studies in GEB need not be global in spatial extent, but the conclusions and implications of the study must be relevant to ecologists and biogeographers globally, rather than being limited to local areas, or specific taxa. Similarly, GEB is not limited to spatial studies; we are equally interested in the general patterns of nature through time, among taxa (e.g., body sizes, dispersal abilities), through the course of evolution, etc. Further, GEB welcomes papers that investigate general impacts of human activities on ecological systems in accordance with the above criteria.