10.5061/DRYAD.57080
Campbell, Tracy A.
University of Missouri
Holdo, Ricardo M.
University of Georgia
Data from: Competitive response of savanna tree seedlings to C4 grasses is
negatively related to photosynthesis rate
Dryad
dataset
2017
stomatal conductance
tree-grass competition
Acacia xanthophloea
Combretum collinum
Combretum apiculatum
Colophospermum mopane
tropical savanna.
Panicum maximum
Philenoptera violacea
African savannas
Kigelia africana
Combretum imberbe
Terminalia prunioides
photosynthesis rates
Schotia brachypetala
National Science Foundation
https://ror.org/021nxhr62
IIA-355406
2017-07-12T17:07:09Z
2017-07-12T17:07:09Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12484
4176 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Savanna tree species vary in the magnitude of their response to grass
competition, but the functional traits that explain this variation remain
largely unknown. To address this gap, we grew seedlings of 10 savanna tree
species with and without grasses in a controlled greenhouse experiment. We
found strong interspecific differences in tree competitive response, which
was positively related to photosynthesis rates, suggesting a trade-off
between the ability to grow well under conditions of low and high grass
biomass across tree species. We also found no competitive effect of tree
seedlings on grass, suggesting strong tree-grass competitive asymmetry.
Our results identify a potentially important trade-off that enhances our
ability to predict how savanna tree communities might respond to variation
in grass competition.
Data and R scriptGrowth and physiological data for savanna tree seedlings
growing with and without grass competitors under greenhouse
conditions.Campbell_Holdo_data.zip
South Africa