Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh

• DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1062764
• Publication Date: 2023-08-25T19:15:32Z
• Authors: Ariful Khan; Md Rezaul Karim; Mohammed; Mohammad Golam Ki...; Karishma Sinha; Fahmida Sultana; Sharif A. Mukul; Mohammed A. S. Ar...
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; Evolution; Trait; 01 natural sciences; Environmental science; Agricultural and Biological Sciences; Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management; Specific leaf area; tree functional trait; XXXXXX - Unknown; QH359-425; Photosynthesis; Biology; QH540-549.5; Ecosystem; Nature and Landscape Conservation; disturbance; Swamp; Global and Planetary Change; Global Analysis of Ecosystem Services and Land Use; Ecology; Agroforestry Tree Domestication in Africa; Botany; Life Sciences; Paleontology; Forestry; Deciduous; wood density; Computer science; Functional ecology; Programming language; Evergreen; Disturbance (geology); FOS: Biological sciences; Environmental Science; Physical Sciences; community weighted mean; Human-Nature Interactions; Habitat Fragmentation; specific leaf area

The relationship between ecosystem functions and plant functional traits has been well documented and is considered to be one of the most vital topics in ecology. However, the correlation between anthropogenic disturbance and tree functional trait diversity remains largely unclear. The present study investigates the role of anthropogenic disturbance on selected tree functional traits in Ratargul Swamp Forest (RSF) – the only remnant tropical freshwater swamp forest ecosystem in Bangladesh. We established 50 plots and collected six plant traits, i.e., tree height, specific leaf area (SLA), wood density (WD), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), seed mass, and bark thickness. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to test the interaction between plant functional traits and anthropogenic disturbance in RSF. Our study found that anthropogenic disturbance has a significant (p< 0.05) influence on deciduous swamp forest tree species’ functional traits but none on evergreen tree species’ functional traits. For deciduous trees, disturbance has a significant positive effect on CWM.SLA (p< 0.05) and CWM.Height (p< 0.05) and a negative impact on CWM.Bark-thickness and CWM.Seed-mass (p< 0.05). There were no significant effects of disturbance on CWM.WD and CWM.LDMC. We believe the present study will contribute toward improving our understanding of the effect of disturbances on tree functional trait diversity in tropical human-dominated landscapes where anthropogenic pressure is increasing at an unprecedented rate. It will also function as an essential conservation for related decision-making of Ratargul Swamp Forest in northeastern Bangladesh and elsewhere in the tropics with a similar context.