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Fine‐scale Microhabitat Heterogeneity in a French Guianan Forest
Author(s) -
Baraloto Christopher,
Couteron Pierre
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
biotropica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1744-7429
pISSN - 0006-3606
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2009.00620.x
Subject(s) - sampling (signal processing) , abiotic component , understory , spatial heterogeneity , scale (ratio) , spatial variability , spatial ecology , environmental science , geostatistics , rainforest , ecology , range (aeronautics) , physical geography , canopy , geography , cartography , biology , mathematics , statistics , materials science , filter (signal processing) , computer science , composite material , computer vision
We examined fine‐scale heterogeneity of environmental conditions in a primary rain forest in French Guiana to describe variation in microhabitats that plants may experience during establishment. We characterized both the range as well as the spatial structuring of 11 environmental factors important for seedling establishment in six hexagonal sampling grids, one each in gap and understory sites at three points representing the predominant geomorphic units in this primary forest. Each grid contained 37 sampling points separated by 31 cm–20 m. Monte‐Carlo tests of semivariograms against complete spatial randomness indicated that for many variables in all six sampling grids, spatial dependence did not exceed 1 m. A principal component analysis of all sampling points revealed a lack of spatial microhabitat structure, rather than homogeneous patches associated with canopy structure or geomorphology. Our results suggest that ample fine‐scale spatial heterogeneity exists to support the coexistence of plant species with differential abiotic requirements for regeneration.