Environmental filtering is the primary driver of community assembly in forest–grassland mosaics: A case study based on CSR strategies

• DOI: 10.1111/jvs.13228
• Publication Date: 2024-01-20T06:36:03Z
• Authors: László Erdős; Khanh Vu Ho; Ákos Bede‐Fazekas; György Kröel‐Dulay; Csaba Tölgyesi; Zoltán Bátori; Péter Török
• Keywords: Ruderal species; Detrended correspondence analysis; Gradient analysis; Environmental gradient

Abstract Aims Ecological strategies can provide information about plant community assembly and its main drivers. Our aim was to reveal the dominant of vegetation types forest–grassland mosaics deduce processes responsible for their species composition. Location Hungary. Methods We investigated eight Hungarian forest–steppes. The trade‐off between three key traits related leaf size economics used calculate Grime's competitive–stress tolerance–ruderal (CSR) value each species, based on which mean type determined. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) ordination compositional differences among under study. To analyze how ecological correlate with gradient, we linear regression plot scores (the first DCA scores) strategy (C, S, R). Linear mixed‐effect models were evaluate regarding Results Each dominated by stress‐tolerator strategy, indicating prominent role environmental filtering in assembly. However, differed significantly communities. importance decreased toward less harsh end gradient (i.e., from grasslands forests), while competitor showed a reverse pattern. ruderal weakly correlated although proportion increased gradient. Conclusions With ongoing climate change, an increasing is expected studied mosaics. suggest that CSR offer useful tool studying plant‐community rules along gradients.