The Phylogeny Signal Of Functional Traits And Their Relationship Between Each Other And Effects On Community Structure

The relationship between plant functional traits and their evolution history and the relationship between functional traits and community structure are current hot topics in ecological research. Plant functional traits are simultaneously affected by their evolutionary background, local habitat conditions and the large-scale climate. In this study we asked whether functional traits have significant phylogenetic signal, what relationship different plant functional traits have with each other and whether functional traits significantly affect species abundance in a community.To attain this objective, we used data from Gutianshan forest plot including species abundance and seven functional traits of156woody species:leaf nitrogen content (Nmass), leaf phosphorus content (Pmass),leaf area (LA), wood density (WD), specific leaf area (SLA), Seed mass and maximum height (Hmax). And we take advantage of the K value method, the Phylogenetic independent contrast(PIC) and Pearson linear regression to make analysis. We found that all functional traits display the significant phylogenetic signal, suggesting that most functional traits are significantly affected by their evolutionary history. We also found that leaf nitrogen content and leaf phosphorus content, leaf nitrogen content and specific leaf area, leaf phosphorus content and specific leaf area, leaf area and maximum height have significant and positive relationship. Otherwise, leaf area was correlated with wood density significantly and negatively. And specific leaf area was negatively correlated with seed mass, but the degree was weak. Other couples of plant functional traits did not show any relationship with each other. On the other hand, species abundance was significantly correlated with leaf nitrogen content, leaf phosphorus content, Leaf Area, woody density and specific leaf area except seed mass and maximum height, suggesting that resource acquisition significantly affect species abundance in a community, and these functional traits have different ways impacting each other and community structure.