1. Strong floristic distinctiveness across Neotropical successional forests.
- Author
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Jakovac CC, Meave JA, Bongers F, Letcher SG, Dupuy JM, Piotto D, Rozendaal DMA, Peña-Claros M, Craven D, Santos BA, Siminski A, Fantini AC, Rodrigues AC, Hernández-Jaramillo A, Idárraga A, Junqueira AB, Zambrano AMA, de Jong BHJ, Pinho BX, Finegan B, Castellano-Castro C, Zambiazi DC, Dent DH, García DH, Kennard D, Delgado D, Broadbent EN, Ortiz-Malavassi E, Pérez-García EA, Lebrija-Trejos E, Berenguer E, Marín-Spiotta E, Alvarez-Davila E, de Sá Sampaio EV, Melo F, Elias F, França F, Oberleitner F, Mora F, Williamson GB, Colletta GD, Cabral GAL, Derroire G, Fernandes GW, van der Wal H, Teixeira HM, Vester HFM, García H, Vieira ICG, Jiménez-Montoya J, de Almeida-Cortez JS, Hall JS, Chave J, Zimmerman JK, Nieto JE, Ferreira J, Rodríguez-Velázquez J, Ruíz J, Barlow J, Aguilar-Cano J, Hernández-Stefanoni JL, Engel J, Becknell JM, Zanini K, Lohbeck M, Tabarelli M, Romero-Romero MA, Uriarte M, Veloso MDM, Espírito-Santo MM, van der Sande MT, van Breugel M, Martínez-Ramos M, Schwartz NB, Norden N, Pérez-Cárdenas N, González-Valdivia N, Petronelli P, Balvanera P, Massoca P, Brancalion PHS, Villa PM, Hietz P, Ostertag R, López-Camacho R, César RG, Mesquita R, Chazdon RL, Muñoz R, DeWalt SJ, Müller SC, Durán SM, Martins SV, Ochoa-Gaona S, Rodríguez-Buritica S, Aide TM, Bentos TV, de S Moreno V, Granda V, Thomas W, Silver WL, Nunes YRF, and Poorter L
- Abstract
Forests that regrow naturally on abandoned fields are important for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services, but can they also preserve the distinct regional tree floras? Using the floristic composition of 1215 early successional forests (≤20 years) in 75 human-modified landscapes across the Neotropic realm, we identified 14 distinct floristic groups, with a between-group dissimilarity of 0.97. Floristic groups were associated with location, bioregions, soil pH, temperature seasonality, and water availability. Hence, there is large continental-scale variation in the species composition of early successional forests, which is mainly associated with biogeographic and environmental factors but not with human disturbance indicators. This floristic distinctiveness is partially driven by regionally restricted species belonging to widespread genera. Early secondary forests contribute therefore to restoring and conserving the distinctiveness of bioregions across the Neotropical realm, and forest restoration initiatives should use local species to assure that these distinct floras are maintained.
- Published
- 2022
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