About

Abstract Plant–plant interactions are major determinants of the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. There is a long tradition in the study of these interactions, their mechanisms and their consequences using experimental, observational and theoretical approaches. Empirical studies overwhelmingly focus at the level of species pairs or small sets of species. Although empirical data on these interactions at the community level are scarce, such studies have gained pace in the last decade.

Abstract Plant recruitment involves both stochastic and deterministic processes. Recruits may establish independently or interact nonrandomly with canopy plants. We explore this deterministic aspect by testing whether recruitment patterns are influenced by the phylogenetic history of canopy and recruiting plants. Since the effect of canopy plants in recruitment can be positive (facilitation), negative (competition) or neutral, we also estimated the phylogenetic signal separately for each interaction type.

Abstract In monoculture-dominated landscapes, recovering biodiversity is a priority, but effective restoration strategies have yet to be identified. In this study, we experimentally tested passive and active restoration strategies to recover taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of woody plants within 52 tree islands established in an oil palm landscape. Large tree islands and higher initial planted diversity catalyzed diversity recovery, particularly functional diversity at the landscape level.

Abstract Vegetation structural complexity has been identified as a vital factor for forest ecosystem function, stability, and resilience. However, agricultural land with much reduced structural complexity has largely replaced natural forests in the tropics. Therefore, restoring structural complexity in large-scale plantation monocultures by introducing agroforestry systems may counteract the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, we still have limited knowledge of how the structural complexity of agroforests develops under different restoration treatments.