Trait-based approaches to calculate ecological strategy is important for understanding forest succession dynamics. However, the functional traits and ecological strategy change during succession remain poorly understood. We measured key leaf traits and calculated scores for CSR ecological strategy for 13 co-existing species in different successional stages in tropical lowland rain forests. We analyzed the patterns of functional traits and CSR strategies varied along the succession. The relationship between CSR strategy and environmental factors was examined. Our research results are as follows: (1) In older plots, LDMC was generally lower and SLA was generally higher than younger plots with the succession, the functional traits of the successional co-existing tree species changed, and SLA and LDMC showed significant differences. (2) The co-existing tree species’ strategies shifted from S/CS and CS strategies to CS/CSR and CS strategies along the succession. (3) Ecological strategies are linked to different combinations of environmental factors across the four successional stages. Our study suggests that the co-existing tree species in different succession stages of tropical lowland rain forests have a high degree of resistance and a conservative ecological strategy, which is significantly related to canopy openness, soil water content, and soil nutrients.

Mixed plantations have emerged as a key afforestation strategy for enhancing the stability and sustainability of forest ecosystems. However, their effects on soil microbial diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) remain inconsistent. Here, we compiled a dataset from 121 peer-reviewed publications and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of different mixed plantation strategies on soil microbial diversity and EMF. The results showed that mixed plantations significantly increased bacterial and fungal Shannon indices by 1.43 and 7.4%, respectively, compared to monocultures. In addition, mixed plantations enhanced key ecosystem functions, including increased soil organic carbon, nutrient availability, and moisture retention, while reducing soil bulk density. Collectively, these improvements resulted in a 19.25% increase in the EMF index. Further analysis revealed significant positive correlations between both bacterial and fungal diversity and EMF, as well as significant associations between EMF and key soil physical properties. Moreover, the effects of mixed plantations on microbial diversity and ecosystem functions varied depending on the mixing strategy. Overall, our findings highlight the ecological benefits of mixed plantations for soil microbial diversity and EMF, supporting more effective and sustainable afforestation practices.

Monitoring changes to growth-survival strategies is beneficial during plant growth and development to understand the dynamics of community succession. We measured key leaf traits and calculated competition, stress-tolerance, and ruderals ecological strategy scores for trees and seedlings in different successional stages in tropical lowland rain forests. We analyzed functional trait patterns and CSR strategies with plant growth and development through the different succession stages. We found that trees used strategies that were shifted from S/CS and CS strategies to CS/CSR strategies along the succession. However, seedlings maintained the use of the S/CSR strategy. Seedlings showed lower leaf dry matter content, higher specific leaf area, and their leaf area was relatively conservative. We also observed that the functional traits of seedlings and large trees showed basically consistent changes through each succession stage. Using the standard deviation of C-, S-, and R-scores, we found that the ecological strategy width of trees is smaller, while seedlings have a wider range of ecological strategies. Together, this information can be used to define plant succession changes with functional plant trait changes using different CSR ecological strategies in tropical rainforests that are a threated due to human activities. The research results provide scientific basis for understanding the strategic change of plant growth and predicting the direction of forest function succession, and also provide theoretical support for the management of tropical lowland rainforest in China.

The distribution of plant species diversity has long been a major focus on biogeography. Yet, the universality of the popular Rapoport’s rule remains controversial for endemic plants, as previous studies have focused more on broad-ranged species. Here, we collected data for 4418 endemic woody seed plant species across China, including trees, shrubs, and lianas, to explore the latitudinal patterns of species range size and richness, and test the relevant biogeographic law. The species range size distribution was examined for conformity with Rapoport’s rule using four methods (i.e., Steven’s, Pagel’s, the mid-point, and the across-species method). Spatial patterns of species richness along latitudinal gradient were also investigated by parabolic regression. Results showed that species range size increased with latitude for all species as well as by trees, shrubs and lianas, especially assessed by Pagel’s method. Species richness was highest at low latitude, where species range size was smallest, and decreased with increasing latitude. The species range size and richness of shrubs were maximum, followed by trees then lianas. These findings prove that Rapoport’s rule is strongly supported by latitudinal patterns of species distribution in Chinese endemic woody seed plants.

Aggregating diverse plant species into a few functional groups based on functional traits provides new insights for promoting landscape planning and conserving biodiversity in species-diverse regions. Ecophysiological traits are the basis of the functioning of an ecosystem. However, studies related to the identification of functional groups based on plant ecophysiological traits in tropical forests are still scarce because of the inherent difficulties in measuring them. In this study, we measured five ecophysiological traits: net photosynthetic capacity (A_max), maximum stomatal conductance (g_max), water use efficiency (WUE), transpiration rate (Trmmol), and specific leaf areas (SLA) for 87 plant species dominant in a chronosequence of secondary succession, using four time periods (5 year-primary, 15 year-early, and 40 year-middle successional stages after clear cutting and old growth) in the tropical montane rainforest on Hainan Island, China. These species were grouped using hierarchical cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling. Finally, the changes in the composition of functional groups and species richness along the chronosequence were analyzed. Results showed that the plant species in the tropical montane rainforest could be classified into eight distinct functional groups. The richness of functional groups was low during the initial early stage and increased as the early and middle stages progressed, and then declined in the late successional stage. The dominant functional groups in the primary stages had the highest A_max, g_max, Trmmol, and SLA, as well as the lowest WUE, while those in the early and middle successional stages had functional traits at a moderate level, and at the late stage they had the lowest A_max, g_max, Trmmol, and SLA, and highest WUE. Our study showed that the diverse plant species in the tropical montane rainforest could be grouped into a few functional groups according to major ecophysiological traits, and the composition and relative abundance of different groups changed with the successional dynamics of the forest ecosystem.

Plant ecological strategies are shaped by long-term adaptation to the environment and are beneficial to plant survival and reproduction. Research is ongoing to better understand how plants best allocate resources for growth, survival and reproduction, as well as how ecological strategies may shift in plant communities over the course of succession. In this study, 12 forest dynamics plots in three different successional stages were selected for study in the tropical lowland rainforest ecosystem of Hainan Island. For each plot, using Grime’s competitor, a stress-tolerator, the ruderal (CSR) scheme and using the CSR ratio tool “StrateFy”, an ecological strategy spectrum was constructed using functional trait data obtained by collecting leaf samples from all woody species. The ecological strategy spectra were compared across successional stages to reveal successional dynamics. The results showed: (1) The ecological strategy spectra varied among forest communities belonging to three different successional stages. (2) The community-weighted mean CSR (CWM-CSR) strategies shifted with succession: CWM-S values decreased, while the CWM-C and CWM-R values increased. Overall, shifts in plant functional traits occurred slowly and steadily with succession showing complex and diverse trade-offs and leading to variation among the ecological strategy spectra of different successional stages.