Tree Communities

Hi there,

please excuse my english as I'm not native.

I was wondering which factors influence the coexistence of different tree species in virgin forests. Would this coexistence show a tendency to converge into a single species or are there examples of 'resistant' coexistence or even character displacement in tree communities of virgin forests?

And an easier question: Would you please give me an example of several tree species coexisting naturally in a virgin forest? I don't mean species which distribute according to micro gradients of soil nutrients or such but trees feeding on the same soil and the same atmosphere and yet, showing different features so far apart, that we designate them as different species.

Thank you very much,

Avellanosa

 

Given that the original-growth forests of eastern North America and the rainforests of Brazil have exceptionally high species diversity, I think it is reasonable to expect species occupying the same ecological niche in terms of growth.

Read more about ecological niches: Ecological niche - Wikipedia .

 

Thanks a lot. In the meantime I read about the tree species composition of rain forests in the Amazonia.

In a text that handles the coexistence of different species of Acer (Maple) I read that in some forest in China "The degree of aggregation of the three species with low abundance (...) [is] in fact higher than that for the others at small scales. "

I'd appreciate if you find time to quickly tell me what can be meant by "degree of aggregation" in such a context.

Thank you in advance.

 

Sounds like Taylor's law - Wikipedia

I think it means these three species, although not common, will often be found together.

 

I see, sounds reasonable thanks.