Intraspecific trait variation and whole‐plant economics spectrum drive the abundance distributions of woody plants in island communities

作者：Aiying Zhang, Donghao Wu, Zhonghan Wang, Mingjian Yu, Lingfeng Mao · 发表于：Journal of Ecology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1111/1365-2745.70042 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Forest Management and Policy、Plant and animal studies

Abstract Understanding the coexistence of common and uncommon species is crucial for exploring community assembly processes and facilitating biodiversity conservation across spatial and temporal scales. This study extends the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography (ETIB) to explore how island geographical variables shape the whole‐plant economics spectrum, emphasizing the relationship between intraspecific trait variation (ITV) and species abundance. We quantified ITV within plant communities on 10 land‐bridge islands and investigated its relationship with species abundance. Using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), we examined the effects of island geographical variables (island area, isolation, and distance to forest edge) and abundance on ITV patterns. With a rarefaction method, we identified a positive correlation between species abundance and ITV. Common species were predominantly located at the core positions of the community‐wide trait distribution, whereas uncommon species were more often positioned at its margins. Island area, isolation, distance to forest edge, species abundance, and their interactions all significantly influenced ITV patterns. Common species on smaller, more isolated islands and along island edges displayed traits indicative of slow‐growth and resource‐conservative (stress‐tolerant) strategies, while uncommon species on larger, less isolated islands and in island interiors exhibited traits consistent with fast‐growth and resource‐acquisitiv...