title: Are functional traits a good predictor of global change impacts on tree species abundance dynamics in a subtropical forest?
abstract: Significant changes in the composition of tree species have been observed in various forests worldwide. We hypothesised that these changes might result from variable sensitivities of species to global change, and species sensitivities might be quantified, using functional traits. Employing long-term (1978-2010) species abundance data of 48 tree species from a permanent subtropical forest plot, where multiple global change factors have been observed, including soil drying, we examined the relationships between temporal trends in abundance and suits of functional traits. We found that species with high photosynthesis rates, leaf phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations, specific leaf area, hydraulic conductivity, turgor loss point and predawn leaf water potential had increased in abundance, while species with opposite trait patterns had decreased. Our results demonstrate that functional traits underlie tree species abundance dynamics in response to drought stress, thus linking traits to compositional shifts in this subtropical forest under global changes.
authors: Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors: Ronghua
authors: R
authors: Li
authors: Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
authors: Shidan
authors: S
authors: Zhu
authors: Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Rd, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada.
authors: Han Y H
authors: HYH
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohanpur, Kolkata, 741252, West Bengal, India.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: John
authors: Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
authors: Guoyi
authors: G
authors: Zhou
authors: Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
authors: Deqiang
authors: D
authors: Zhang
authors: Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
authors: Qianmei
authors: Q
authors: Zhang
authors: Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 723 Xingke Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Ye
keywords: Cavitation; drought stress; hydraulic conductivity; photosynthesis; plant economics; turgor loss point; xylem vulnerability