Functional determinants of forest recruitment over broad scales

摘要: Aim The drivers of tree recruitment over large spatial scales remain unexplored. Here, we ask whether species potential for and the strength density-dependent processes, both inferred from relative abundances, show emerging patterns that can be explained upon basis information about climate functional traits. Location Eastern forests USA. Methods We document geographical distributions magnitudes seedling density dependence conspecific eastern USA spanning > 1.2 million km2 across 88,854 local communities comprising 164 species. We also compiled climatic variables 16 traits representing several important ecological axes strategies to assess which factors were most strongly associated with broad-scale patterns. Results Strong variation in a latitudinal change negative positive moving northward adaptation seasonal freezing temperatures seed size. Wood leaf nitrogen, contrast, related magnitude dependence, respectively, prevalent region. Main conclusions Our results provide strong evidence processes have by few key traits.