Mass effects explain sapling community assembly in Araucaria mixed forest metacommunities

• Published in: Journal of vegetation science Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 664 - 673
• Main Authors: Rech, Morgana, Carlucci, Marcos B., Bergamin, Rodrigo S., Seger, Guilherme D. S., Müller, Sandra C., Duarte, Leandro, Hartz, Sandra M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley 01.07.2019; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Araucaria; Assembly; Biodiversity; CATS models; Community; Dispersion; Forests; functional diversity; Grasslands; habitats; Leaf area; Local communities; metacommunity models; Mixed forests; neutral model; Nucleation; patch dynamic; RESEARCH ARTICLE; saplings; Seed dispersal; seed size; Species; species sorting; specific leaf area; Vegetation; Woody plants

Questions What is the relative influence of: (a) traits related to dispersal (seed size) and growth (specific leaf area [SLA]), and; (b) regional species abundances, on the structure of local sapling communities? Which metacommunity models best explain the process of forest nucleation in grasslands?...