Tree diversity promotes crown complementarity and canopy packing through variation in architecture traits

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtag025

J Plant Ecol ›› Advance articles DOI:10.1093/jpe/rtag025

• Research Article • Previous Articles Next Articles

Tree diversity promotes crown complementarity and canopy packing through variation in architecture traits

Muhammad Abdullah^1,2,3, Li-Ting Zheng^1,3,4,5*, Li Zhang^1,3, Bai-Yu Yang^1,3, Samreen Ghulam Rasool¹, En-Rong Yan^1,3

¹Zhejiang Zhoushan Island Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, and Zhejiang Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China

²Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Agro-bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China

³Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), Shanghai 200062, China

⁴German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany

⁵Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany

^*Corresponding author: Li-Ting Zheng, E-mail: liting.zheng@idiv.de

Received:2026-01-12 Accepted:2026-02-23 Online:2026-02-23 Published:2026-02-23
Supported by:
This study was supported by the State Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32030068) and Public Welfare Technical Assistance Project of Zhejiang Province – China (2018C31090).

树木多样性通过构型性状变异促进树冠互补性和冠层装配

Abstract

Abstract: Crown complementarity and canopy packing are key drivers of tree diversity effects on ecosystem productivity. Tree architecture is an important determinant of height extension, light capture and crown development in trees, but how architectural traits mediate the effects of tree diversity on crown complementarity and canopy packing remains unclear. Here, we examined how the effects of tree diversity on crown complementarity and canopy packing are directly and indirectly mediated by variation in architectural traits in a tree diversity experiment on Putuo Island in eastern China. The results showed that tree species richness and functional diversity increased variation in crown expansion traits, including twig intensity (number of twigs per first-order branch), branch intensity (number of branches per individual) and crown volume. In addition, tree diversity had divergent effects on leaf arrangement traits, with greater variation in leaf intensity (number of leaves per twig) and petiole diameter, but reduced variation in twig angle and petiole length among interacting individuals. Greater variations in crown volume, branch intensity, leaf intensity and twig intensity therefore promoted both crown complementarity and canopy packing. Our findings suggest that variations in crown architectural traits play crucial roles in mediating the positive effects of tree diversity on tree crown complementarity and canopy packing. Our study highlights that diversity-driven variation in crown architectural traits provides a key mechanistic pathway linking tree diversity to canopy processes in early-stage experimental forests, with important implications for ecosystem structure and productivity.

This study reveals that tree diversity enhances crown complementarity and canopy packing through increased variation in architectural traits, and highlights that diversity-driven variation in crown architectural traits provides a key mechanistic pathway linking tree diversity to canopy processes in early-stage experimental forests.

Key words: Tree?tree interactions, canopy dynamics, ecosystem function, functional diversity, species richness, tree architecture, tree diversity experiment

摘要：
互补性和冠层装配是树木多样性影响森林生态系统生产力的关键机制。树木构型作为树木高度增长、光截获和树冠扩展的重要决定因素，目前尚不清楚其如何介导树木多样性对树冠互补性和冠层装配的影响。本研究以位于中国东部普陀山岛的一个树木多样性实验为对象，研究了树木多样性对树冠互补性和冠层装配的直接影响和通过树木构型变异介导的间接影响。结果表明，树木物种多样性和功能多样性增加了与树冠扩展相关的构型性状变异，如末梢小枝密度（一级枝条上的末梢小枝数量）、枝条密度（每棵树木的枝条数量）和树冠体积。此外，树木多样性对叶片排列相关性状的影响存在分异：促进了叶片密度（单个末梢小枝上着生的叶片数量）和叶柄直径的变异，但降低了末梢小枝与主枝夹角和叶柄长度的变异。进一步分析表明，树冠体积、枝条密度、叶片密度和末梢小枝密度等构型性状的变异促进了树冠互补性和冠层装配。上述结果表明，树木构型性状的变异是介导树木多样性对树冠互补性和冠层装配的关键途径。本研究强调了树木构型性状的变异特征在理解早期实验性森林中树木多样性影响冠层过程中的重要作用，其对森林生态系统结构和生产力具有重要意义。

关键词: 树木相互作用, 冠层动态, 生态系统功能, 功能多样性, 物种丰富度, 树木构型, 树木多样性实验

Muhammad Abdullah, Li-Ting Zheng, Li Zhang, Bai-Yu Yang, Samreen Ghulam Rasool, En-Rong Yan. Tree diversity promotes crown complementarity and canopy packing through variation in architecture traits[J]. J Plant Ecol, DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtag025.

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Tree diversity promotes crown complementarity and canopy packing through variation in architecture traits

树木多样性通过构型性状变异促进树冠互补性和冠层装配

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