Community assembly as a basis for tropical forest restoration in a global change scenario

Native tropical forests hold high levels of diversity, challenging forest restoration of large areas in a global change scenario. For a site-specific restoration is required the understanding of the main influences ruling the assemblages. We aimed to answer three questions. 1) how do environmental variables influence taxonomic, phylogenetic diversities, and the phylogenetic structure in the of Rio Doce Basin (TFRD)? 2) How do environmental variables, phylogenetic structure and the main types of seed dispersal relate to each other? 3) Which information of the TFRD assemblages can be used for ecological restoration and conservation? We used 78 sites with their checklists to calculate taxonomic, and phylogenetic diversities, phylogenetic structures, and dispersal proportions. Then, we related the diversities of the sites to their bioclimatic variables and built GLM models. Species richness was influenced negatively by water excess duration, by water deficit duration, and positively by maximum temperature, and temperature seasonality. Water regime drives diversity and phylogenetic community structure in the TFRD more than other variables. Annual precipitation and maximum temperature presented the clearer influences on diversity and phylogenetic structure. Zoochory was positively, and anemochory, autochory were negatively related to sesMPD. By choosing the lineages with high fitness for each site, the functioning and the stability of ecosystems should increase. The addition of species with anemochory and autochory increases functional and phylogenetic diversity in areas with extreme water excess or water deficit, important in a global change scenario. A high proportion of zoochory allows the communities to function conserving dispersers, biodiversity, and services.Implications for practiceThe use of objective methods based on community assembly rules enhances the choice of species, and of phylogenetic lineages better fitted to the bioclimatic profiles of the areas to be restored, improving the functioning and stability of the restored forests.The water purification service should be improved through forest restoration as much as possible because ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation are co-benefits of restored forests.The inclusion of species with anemochory, and autochory in forest restoration practices should become usual, as they increase functional, and phylogenetic diversities, and as a consequence, the ecosystem stability.A large proportion of species with zoochory in restored forests co-benefits taxonomic diversity, phylogenetic diversity, and ecosystem stability.