Predicting trait-environment relationships for venation networks along an Andes-Amazon elevation gradient.

BLONDER, B; SHENKIN, A; SALINAS, N; ET AL; ...; PATRICK BENTLEY, L; DÍAZ, S

ECOLOGY

ECOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Año: 2017 vol. 98 p. 1239 - 1255

0012-9658

community assembly. However, many empirical TERs have been weak or lackingconceptual foundation. TERs based on leaf venation networks may better link individuals andcommunities via hydraulic constraints. We report measurements of vein density, vein radius,and leaf thickness for more than 100 dominant species occurring in ten forest communities spanninga 3,300 m Andes-Amazon elevation gradient in Peru. We use these data to measure thestrength of TERs at community scale and to determine whether observed TERs are similar tothose predicted by physiological theory. We found strong support for TERs between all traitsand temperature, as well weaker support for a predicted TER between maximum abundanceweightedleaf transpiration rate and maximum potential evapotranspiration. These results provideone approach for developing a more mechanistic trait-based community assembly theory.Key words: abundance-weighting; Amazon basin; Andes; community assembly; community-weightedmean; conductance; environmental filtering; functional trait; leaf thickness; trait-environment relationship;vein density; vein radius.