PERSPECTIVES ON SMALL_SCALE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF PLANT SPECIES IN PLANT COMMUNITIES

Abstract

Small-scale spatial structure of plant species is important in plant ecology as it affects the dynamics of plant populations, communities and ecosystem processes. Plants interact primarily with their immediate neighbors, and the view of the community as seen by an individual plant can be quite different from processes averaged over large spatial scales. Many processes influence the formation and dynamics of small-scale spatial structures of plant species, and local spatial structure in turn has an effect on the vital processes of plant growth, birth and death. This paper summarizes developments in this area of research based on the extensive literature on small-scale spatial structure of plant species to help direct further research efforts. Firstly, this paper introduces six factors that lead to the formation of small-scale spatial structure of plant species, including (1) habitat spatial heterogeneity, (2) dispersal of propagules, (3) interactions between plants, (4) effects of the biological environment (animals and microbes), (5) effects of exoteric disturbances, and (6) the integrated effects of many factors. The significance and effects of small-scale spatial structure on studies of biological diversity, plant population genetics and restoration ecology are then examined. Finally, several questions were raised and a list of suggested areas of future research on this topic were presented that included: (1) Information on small-scale spatial structure should be integrated into vegetation dynamics at large scales; (2) Either biologically or ecologically, the research about small-scale spatial structure of vegetation should focus on plants, make certain the adequate scale and adopt correct spatial statistical methods; (3) The practical implications of small-scale spatial structure for degraded ecosystems should be highly taken into account; (4) Integration of whole community characteristics should begin with local patterns on small scales; and (5) Small-scale spatial structure should be combined with traditional mean-field theory in order to deeply explore plant community dynamics.