Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh
The relationship between ecosystem functions and plant functional traits has been well documented and is considered to be one of the most vital topics in ecology. However, the correlation between anthropogenic disturbance and tree functional trait diversity remains largely unclear. The present study...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1062764/full |
| _version_ | 1797736960078381056 |
|---|---|
| author | Ariful Khan Md Rezaul Karim Mohammed Mohammad Golam Kibria Mohammad Golam Kibria Karishma Sinha Fahmida Sultana Sharif A. Mukul Sharif A. Mukul Sharif A. Mukul Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan |
| author_facet | Ariful Khan Md Rezaul Karim Mohammed Mohammad Golam Kibria Mohammad Golam Kibria Karishma Sinha Fahmida Sultana Sharif A. Mukul Sharif A. Mukul Sharif A. Mukul Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan |
| author_sort | Ariful Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The relationship between ecosystem functions and plant functional traits has been well documented and is considered to be one of the most vital topics in ecology. However, the correlation between anthropogenic disturbance and tree functional trait diversity remains largely unclear. The present study investigates the role of anthropogenic disturbance on selected tree functional traits in Ratargul Swamp Forest (RSF) – the only remnant tropical freshwater swamp forest ecosystem in Bangladesh. We established 50 plots and collected six plant traits, i.e., tree height, specific leaf area (SLA), wood density (WD), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), seed mass, and bark thickness. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to test the interaction between plant functional traits and anthropogenic disturbance in RSF. Our study found that anthropogenic disturbance has a significant (p< 0.05) influence on deciduous swamp forest tree species’ functional traits but none on evergreen tree species’ functional traits. For deciduous trees, disturbance has a significant positive effect on CWM.SLA (p< 0.05) and CWM.Height (p< 0.05) and a negative impact on CWM.Bark-thickness and CWM.Seed-mass (p< 0.05). There were no significant effects of disturbance on CWM.WD and CWM.LDMC. We believe the present study will contribute toward improving our understanding of the effect of disturbances on tree functional trait diversity in tropical human-dominated landscapes where anthropogenic pressure is increasing at an unprecedented rate. It will also function as an essential conservation for related decision-making of Ratargul Swamp Forest in northeastern Bangladesh and elsewhere in the tropics with a similar context. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:21:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c02c8d953864f9c8545b7de0519d36e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:21:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c02c8d953864f9c8545b7de0519d36e2023-08-25T19:15:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2023-08-011110.3389/fevo.2023.10627641062764Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of BangladeshAriful Khan0Md Rezaul Karim1 Mohammed2Mohammad Golam Kibria3Mohammad Golam Kibria4Karishma Sinha5Fahmida Sultana6Sharif A. Mukul7Sharif A. Mukul8Sharif A. Mukul9Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan10Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan11Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, BangladeshInstitute of Forestry and Conservation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, BangladeshDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, BangladeshHawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Environmental Science and Management, Independent University, Bangladesh, Dhaka, BangladeshDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, BangladeshDepartment of Environment and Development Studies, United International University, Dhaka, BangladeshTropical Forests and People Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD, AustraliaDepartment of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United StatesDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, BangladeshDepartment of Disturbance Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, GermanyThe relationship between ecosystem functions and plant functional traits has been well documented and is considered to be one of the most vital topics in ecology. However, the correlation between anthropogenic disturbance and tree functional trait diversity remains largely unclear. The present study investigates the role of anthropogenic disturbance on selected tree functional traits in Ratargul Swamp Forest (RSF) – the only remnant tropical freshwater swamp forest ecosystem in Bangladesh. We established 50 plots and collected six plant traits, i.e., tree height, specific leaf area (SLA), wood density (WD), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), seed mass, and bark thickness. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to test the interaction between plant functional traits and anthropogenic disturbance in RSF. Our study found that anthropogenic disturbance has a significant (p< 0.05) influence on deciduous swamp forest tree species’ functional traits but none on evergreen tree species’ functional traits. For deciduous trees, disturbance has a significant positive effect on CWM.SLA (p< 0.05) and CWM.Height (p< 0.05) and a negative impact on CWM.Bark-thickness and CWM.Seed-mass (p< 0.05). There were no significant effects of disturbance on CWM.WD and CWM.LDMC. We believe the present study will contribute toward improving our understanding of the effect of disturbances on tree functional trait diversity in tropical human-dominated landscapes where anthropogenic pressure is increasing at an unprecedented rate. It will also function as an essential conservation for related decision-making of Ratargul Swamp Forest in northeastern Bangladesh and elsewhere in the tropics with a similar context.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1062764/fulltree functional traitwood densityspecific leaf areadisturbancecommunity weighted mean |
| spellingShingle | Ariful Khan Md Rezaul Karim Mohammed Mohammad Golam Kibria Mohammad Golam Kibria Karishma Sinha Fahmida Sultana Sharif A. Mukul Sharif A. Mukul Sharif A. Mukul Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution tree functional trait wood density specific leaf area disturbance community weighted mean |
| title | Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh |
| title_full | Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh |
| title_short | Anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of Bangladesh |
| title_sort | anthropogenic disturbance modifies tree functional traits in the only remnant swamp forest of bangladesh |
| topic | tree functional trait wood density specific leaf area disturbance community weighted mean |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1062764/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT arifulkhan anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT mdrezaulkarim anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT mohammed anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT mohammadgolamkibria anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT mohammadgolamkibria anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT karishmasinha anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT fahmidasultana anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT sharifamukul anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT sharifamukul anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT sharifamukul anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT mohammedasarfinkhan anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh AT mohammedasarfinkhan anthropogenicdisturbancemodifiestreefunctionaltraitsintheonlyremnantswampforestofbangladesh |