Mesoscale Distribution of Understorey Plants in Temperate Forest (Kalø, Denmark): The Importance of Environment and Dispersal

• Published in: Plant ecology Vol. 160; no. 2; pp. 169 - 185
• Main Authors: Svenning, Jens-Christian, Skov, Flemming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Kluwer Publishers 01-06-2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Coniferous forests; Conifers; Deciduous forests; Dispersal; Distribution patterns; Edaphic factors; Flowers & plants; Forest soils; Forest stands; Forests; Heterogeneity; Plant communities; Plant ecology; Plant species; Plants; Species; Species composition; Stand age; Temperate forests; Understory
• ISSN: 1385-0237; 1573-5052
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1015885321263

We studied the influence of environmental heterogeneity and dispersal processes on mesoscale distribution patterns of understorey plants in a 330 ha ancient, managed temperate forest area. Similarity matrix regression analysis showed that overall species similarity was affected by site (the two disjunct halves of the forest area), spatial autocorrelation at the 100 m scale, edaphic conditions, stand type and stand structure, and the occurrence of open areas, but not by stand age or topography. Using autologistic regression we analysed the influence of clumping, site, edaphic conditions, stand composition, open areas, and stand structure on the individual distribution patterns of the 60 most abundant species. Only five species had distributions that were not significantly related to any of the explanatory variables. A large number of species showed significant, and often differing, relationships to at least one of the environmental parameters. At least 20 species exhibited clumping at the 100 m scale that was independent of the environmental parameters. Principal coordinate analysis and an analysis using the Ellenberg ecological indicator values suggested that no important gradients had been overlooked. Dispersal ability (estimated from dispersal mode) and clumping independent of environmental heterogeneity were related. Poor dispersers exhibited stronger clumping at the 100 m scale than good dispersers. Our results support the joint importance of environmental heterogeneity and dispersal processes in shaping the mesoscale distribution patterns of forest herbs. We conclude that the distribution of plant species, and species coexistence and species composition in plant communities, cannot be explained without simultaneously considering environmental heterogeneity and dispersal.