RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Niche characterization of shrub functional groups along an Atlantic-Mediterranean gradient
A1 Olthoff, Adriana Ema
A1 Martínez Ruiz, Carolina
A1 González Alday, Josu
K1 Forestry management
K1 Bosques y silvicultura - España - Inventarios
K1 Reservas forestales - España
K1 Modeling
K1 Arbustos
K1 3106.08 Silvicultura
AB The identification of the factors controlling the understory species distribution and abundance is essential to understand the ecology and dynamics of natural forests and their management response. We assess the relationships between environmental gradients and shrub functional groups distribution patterns and niche characteristics in a transitional area between the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean biogeographic regions in Northern Spain. Here, 772 plots from the 3rd Spanish National Forest Inventory were used. Shrub functional groups respond to the same complex environmental gradients as trees, i.e., the north-south climatic gradient and a slope gradient. Unimodal response curves of shrub functional groups and families dominate along both gradients, providing evidence of successful functional turnover. Similar to tree species, the niche location of functionally related shrubs is close. Functional groups occupying environments with sharp contrast or transitional environments have the broadest niches, whereas those specialized functional groups occupying localized habitats showed the narrowest niches. The knowledge of shrub species distributions and niche characteristics along complex environmental gradients will improve our ability to discuss potential conservation management goals or threats due to land-use changes and future climate change.
PB MDPI
SN 1999-4907
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/59527
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/59527
LA eng
NO Forests, 2021, Vol. 12, Nº. 8, 982
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 17-jul-2024