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Coexistence of two congeneric tree species of Lauraceae in a secondary warm‐temperate forest on Miyajima Island, south‐western Japan
Author(s) -
YAMASAKI NOZOMI,
YAMADA TOSHIHIRO,
OKUDA TOSHINORI
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
plant species biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1442-1984
pISSN - 0913-557X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-1984.2011.00356.x
Subject(s) - ecology , lauraceae , evergreen , temperate rainforest , pinus densiflora , habitat , evergreen forest , temperate forest , biology , temperate climate , ecological niche , shade tolerance , tree canopy , canopy , geography , botany , ecosystem
We analyzed the spatial distributions of two congeneric tree species, Neolistea aciculata and Neolistea sericea (Lauraceae), in a warm‐temperate forest on Miyajima Island, south‐western Japan. Both species were mainly found in valley sites on the island. Hence, these species shared the same topographic habitat niche. However, we found a clear difference between the spatial distributions of the two species in relation to the light environment. Neolistea aciculata was predominantly found in stands with low light, such as beneath the canopy of dense evergreen broadleaved forest. In contrast, N. sericea was predominantly associated with ample light, such as in secondary Pinus densiflora forest. In stands with moderate light conditions, both species were found. This habitat niche segregation in relation to light conditions presumably allows the coexistence of these two species in the predominantly successional forest on Miyajima Island.