Data from: Climate interacts with the functional trait structure of tree communities to influence forest productivity ...

• Main Author: Dupont-Leduc, Laurie
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2024
• Subjects: FOS Biological sciences; Climate change; Net forest productivity; Random-forest models; Survivor growth tree recruitment and mortality; Trait structure of communities; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.n5tb2rc41; https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.n5tb2rc41

Tree functional diversity can increase forest productivity by enhancing species interactions and providing greater growth stability. However, very few studies have examined the influence of tree community trait structure on survivor growth, recruitment, and mortality simultaneously, which are the main drivers of forest population dynamics. Here we explore the interactions among functional diversity, productivity, and climate to investigate the role of the trait structure of communities on forest productivity and to determine under what circumstances functional diversity should be promoted to ensure forest adaptive capacity under future climate. Using random-forest modeling and a network of permanent sample plots covering a broad gradient of climatic conditions, we isolated the effects of functional diversity—described as the distribution of trait values in a community—and climate variables on net forest productivity (NFP), survivor growth, recruitment, and mortality. Based on our findings, community-level ... : No local data collection was conducted in this study, as it relied on a meta-analysis of secondary data. The team of authors and collaborators, however, is representative of the main regions covered by the meta-analysis, ensuring appropriate interpretation of the data and results from the studied regions. Data were derived from the following resources available in the public domain: Québec permanent sample plot forest inventory (https://www.donneesquebec.ca/recherche/dataset/placettes-echantillons-permanentes-1970-a-aujourd-hui/resource/ccf8d0d7-85fe-49b0-a965-e914b2395fb7), Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries, Farming and Natural Resources (https://www.gov.nl.ca/ffa/programs-and-funding/forestry-programs-and-funding/managing/inv-plan/). Functional diversity indices and traits data were derived from the TOPIC database with the permission from TOPIC (Aubin et al., 2020). Traits data from Paquette and Messier (2011) were also used. ...