Leaf trait variability explains how plant community composition changes under the intense pressure of deer herbivory

• Published in: Ecological research Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 521 - 532
• Main Authors: Wakatsuki, Yuki, Nishizawa, Keita, Mori, Akira S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.05.2021; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Carbon fixation; Community composition; Composition; deer herbivory; Dry matter; Dry matter content; Ecosystem disturbance; Forest floor; Forest management; Herbivores; Herbivory; Interspecific; intraspecific trait variation; Leaf area; Leaves; plant carbon economy; Plant communities; plant community; Plant species; plant strategy; Plants; Species composition; Species diversity; Understory; Variation

There is growing evidence indicating that intraspecific trait variation (ITV) plays a prominent role in determining plant community composition. In this study, we investigated the significance of ITV in identifying the processes that shape the development of forest understory plant communities in an...