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April 24, 2026Journal of Ecology

Shifts in above‐ and below‐ground trait dissimilarity under competition mediate the future impact of neighbours

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Authors

JYJie YangGeneral CardiologyGSGuochun ShenSLShengman LyuUniversity of Lausanne

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Implication

An experiment reveals how neighbor competition influences trait changes and biomass in plants, suggesting mechanisms for coexistence.

Key Points

  • The research aims to understand how competition among plants alters trait dissimilarity and its effect on competition intensity.
  • Conducted a 3-year greenhouse experiment with 5818 seedlings from seven tree species
  • Assessed shifts in above- and below-ground trait dissimilarity with neighboring plants
  • Measured competition intensity through seedling biomass
  • Above-ground traits became more similar among competing species, while below-ground traits diverged
  • These shifts were linked to reduced competition intensity, observed at different temporal scales
  • Above-ground convergence correlated with immediate lower competition, while below-ground divergence predicted reduced competition in the following year

Cite This Study

Yang et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69eb099a553a5433e34b40d3https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70320
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Plant trait dissimilarity increases competitive interactions among co‐occurring plants2024 · 20 citations
  2. 2Trait responses to competition are mostly parallel among competitor plants but can cause convergence or divergence in key traits2026
  3. 3FUNCTIONAL DISTANCE MEDIATES PLANT INTERACTIONS2024
  4. 4Inverse relationship between species competitiveness and intraspecific trait variability may enable species coexistence in experimental seedling communities2024 · 21 citations
  5. 5Belowground plant competition: uncoupling root response strategies of peas2024 · 9 citations