秦岭山地天然次生林群落MRT数量分类、CCA排序及多样性垂直格局

采用多元回归树(MRT)对秦岭山地天然次生林群落进行数量分类,采用典范对应分析(CCA)进行排序,分析了秦岭山地天然次生林群落物种多样性沿海拔梯度的变化规律。结果表明:(1) 275个样方共有种子植物195种,隶属61科128属。乔、灌、草3个层次物种多样性变化沿海拔梯度的变化趋势基本一致,呈单峰模型;(2)经交叉验证认为秦岭山地天然次生林群落可分为2类,Ⅰ冬瓜杨(Populus purdomii)+陇东海棠(Malus kansuensis)+蛇莓(Duchesnea indica)群落,Ⅱ锐齿槲栎(Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata)+黄栌(Cotinus coggygria)+茜草(Rubia cordifolia)群落;(3) CCA排序结果揭示了群落生境的分布范围,反映出生态轴的排序意义,较好地反映秦岭山地天然次生林群落与环境因子的关系,其结果表明,海拔、坡向、凋落层厚度和干扰情况4个变量对该地区次生林群落的分布有较大的影响。     

Determinants of nocturnal Lepidopteran diversity and community structure in a conifer-dominated forest

Prediction of community response of fauna to anthropogenic or environmental disturbance requires knowledge of faunal distribution and abundance as well as an understanding of the mechanisms underlying community organization. We investigated linkages between Lepidoptera, one of the most influential insect taxa in forested ecosystems, and vegetation in riparian areas of conifer-dominated forests of western Oregon, USA. Using model selection techniques, we found that canopy cover explained variability in patterns of moth species dominance and diversity better than all other factors investigated, whereas elevation best explained patterns of moth species richness. Using canonical correspondence analysis, we determined that gradients in shrub species richness, elevation, and understory species richness accounted for the most variation in regional moth community structure. Results suggest that reductions of riparian forest canopy are likely to have the greatest impact on the variety and relative abundance of moths. Due to the relative rarity and patchy distribution of the majority of individual species, we predict that lower intensity vegetation manipulations distributed across larger spatial scales are likely to be less damaging to regional moth biodiversity than more intensive alterations at smaller scales. Finally, if global warming trends continue, upward elevational shifts in moth species distributions will make forested regions at higher elevation worthy of concerted protection.     

Gradient Analysis of Fire Regimes in Montane Forests of the Southern Cascade Range,Thousand Lakes Wilderness,California, USA

Species distribution and abundance patterns in the southern Cascades are influenced by both environmental gradients and fire regimes. Little is known about fire regimes and variation in fire regimes may not be independent of environmental gradients or vegetation patterns. In this study, we analyze variation in fire regime parameters (i.e., return interval, season, size, severity, and rotation period) with respect to forest composition, elevation, and potential soil moisture in a 2042 ha area of montane forest in the southern Cascades in the Thousand Lakes Wilderness (TLW). Fire regime parameters varied with forest composition, elevation, and potential soil moisture. Median composite and point fire return intervals were shorter (4-9 yr, 14-24 yr) in low elevation and more xeric white fir (Abies concolor)-sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) and white fir-Jeffrey pine (P. jeffreyi) and longest (20-37 yr, 20-47 yr) in mesic high elevation lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and red fir (Abies magnifica)-mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) forests. Values for mid-elevation red fir-white fir forests were intermediate. The pattern for fire rotation lengths across gradients was the same as for fire return intervals. The percentage of fires that occurred during the growing season was inversely related to elevation and potential soil moisture. Mean fire sizes were larger in lodgepole pine forests (405 ha) than in other forest groups (103-151 ha). In contrast to other parameters, fire severity did not vary across environmental and compositional gradients and >50% of all forests burned at high severity with most of the remainder burning at moderate severity. Since 1905, fire regimes have become similar at all gradient positions because of a policy of suppressing fire and fire regime modification will lead to shifts in landscape scale vegetation patterns.     

Elevation‐dependent effects of forest fragmentation on plant–bird interaction networks in the tropical Andes

Tropical forests harbor diverse ecological communities of plants and animals that are organized in complex interaction networks. The diversity and structure of plant–animal interaction networks may change along elevational gradients and in response to human‐induced habitat fragmentation. While previous studies have analyzed the effects of elevation and forest fragmentation on species interaction networks in isolation, to our knowledge no study has investigated whether the effects of forest fragmentation on species interactions may differ along elevational gradients. In this study, we analyzed main and interaction effects of elevation and forest fragmentation on plant–frugivore interaction networks at plant and bird species level. Over a period spanning two years, we recorded plant–frugivore interactions at three elevations (1000, 2000 and 3000 m a.s.l.) and in two habitat types (continuous and fragmented forest) in tropical montane forests in southern Ecuador. We found a consistent effect of elevation on the structure of plant–frugivore networks. We observed a decrease in the number of effective bird partners of plants and, thus, a decline in the redundancy of bird species with increasing elevation. Furthermore, bird specialization on specific plant partners increased towards high elevations. Fragmentation had a relatively weak effect on the interaction networks for both plant and bird species, but resulted in a significant increase in bird specialization in fragmented forests at high elevations. Our results indicate that forest fragmentation may have stronger effects on plant–frugivore interaction networks at high compared to low elevations because bird species richness declined more steeply towards high elevations than plant species richness. We conclude that conservation efforts should prioritize the maintenance of consumer diversity, for instance by maintaining stretches of continuous forest. This applies in particular to species‐poor communities, such as those at high elevations, as the ecological processes in these communities seem most sensitive towards forest fragmentation.     

Commonness,rarity, and oligarchies of woody plants in the tropical dry forests of Mexico

We assessed woody plant communities in two widely separated forests in the tropical dry forest (TDF) biome of Mexico for evidence of similar patterns of species commonness and rarity. We used belt transects laid out along contour lines (i.e., constant elevation) and stratified across elevation gradients at sites in Jalisco and Oaxaca to sample woody plant species diversity, abundance, relative frequency and basal area. We assembled a combined species list and compared species found in both sites (shared) to species found in only one site, assessing whether the most and least common species at a site tended to be shared or unshared. Of the 8242 individuals sampled, 370 species or morpho‐species were identified, with 222 species recorded at the Jalisco site and 270 at the Oaxaca site—122 (33%) species were shared across sites. Abundance, frequency and basal area of shared species were greater on average than for unshared species, and were positively correlated across sites. A subset of 68 shared species (18%) accounted for over half of all individuals encountered at the two sites. Species in the most common quartile were more likely to be shared than expected by chance, while species in the least common quartile were less likely. A genus‐level analysis found similar patterns. Our findings suggest that the TDF of Pacific coast Mexico shows evidence of widespread dominance by a small subset of species. These findings have potentially important implications for predicting species composition, understanding the role of oligarchic species in ecological processes, and conserving rare species.     

山西五鹿山植物物种多样性及其海拔梯度格局

采用典型取样法,沿海拔梯度对五鹿山自然植被进行调查。结果表明：五鹿山主要群落类型为辽东栎(Quercus wutaishanica)群落、油松(Pinus tabulaeformis) 群落、茶条槭(Acer ginnala) 群落、白皮松(Pinus bungeana)群落、暴马丁香-茶条槭（Syringa reticulate-Acer ginnala）群落和白桦(Betula platyphylla)群落。其中,辽东栎群落略占优势,这可能暗示着该地区植被具有继续向暖温带落叶阔叶林演替的倾向。各层次植物物种丰富度呈现出草本层>灌木层>乔木层特征,Shannon Wiener多样性指数和Simpson多样性指数整体规律为草本层>灌木层>乔木层。以五鹿山森林群落不同层次的各种物种多样性指数和森林群落总体重要值为测度指标,均暗示着五鹿山植被演替正处于亚顶极群落阶段。五鹿山植物多样性沿海拔梯度呈现出近似中海拔高的单峰格局,这是由于植物物种多样性受温度、湿度、人为等因素干扰。     

陆地植物群落物种多样性的梯度变化特征

研究陆地植物落物种多样性随环境因子及群落演替梯度的变化特征是揭示生物多样性与生态因子相互关系的重要方面,根据近期国内外的文献,综述了这方面的研究进展。随纬度的降低,通常物咱多样性随中,随不分梯度的变化,物种多样性的变化有６种趋势;随海拔高的变化,物处多样性有５种模式;随土壤养分梯度的变化,表现出不同的规律;演替过程中物种多样生的变化趋势相似。关于植物群落物种多样性梯度格局的机制有多种假说,但仍需进     

Elevational changes in the avian community of a Mesoamerican cloud forest park

Harboring many range‐restricted and specialized species, high elevation tropical cloud forests are diverse habitats represented in many protected areas. Despite this, many such areas receive little practical protection from deforestation and land conversion. Moreover, montane species may be more sensitive to climate change owing to various factors affecting community assembly across elevational gradients. Few studies have used annual monitoring to assess how biological communities in cloud forests may be shifting in response to habitat or climate change or assessed the efficacy of protected areas in buffering these effects. We analyzed avifaunal community trends in a 10‐yr dataset of constant‐effort bird point‐count data in a cloud forest national park in Honduras, Central America. We found that species richness and diversity increased at higher elevations, but decreased at lower elevations. Abundances of most dietary and forest‐dependency groups exhibited similar trends, and many key cloud forest species shifted upslope and/or increased in abundance. Taken together, our results suggest that the avian community is moving upslope and species composition is changing. Results for species richness and diversity were similar when only nondegraded transects were considered, suggesting the role of climate change as an important driver. At lower elevations, however, many species may be negatively affected by increased habitat degradation, favoring species with low forest dependency. Continued habitat conversion and climate change could push the cloud forest bird community further upslope, potentially resulting in increased competition, mortality, and even extirpation of some species. Increased protection is unlikely to mitigate the effects of climate change.     

中国典型森林生态系统乔木层群落物种多样性的空间分布格局及其影响因素

物种多样性地理分布格局及其成因是生物地理学和宏观生态学研究的核心问题之一,基于中国13个典型森林生态系统乔木层群落植物的调查数据,分析物种多样性随经纬度的变化规律,探讨物种多样性空间分布格局的影响因素。结果表明:(1) 13个典型森林生态系统的4个物种多样性指数均随经纬度上升而下降,其中物种丰富度变化更为显著,而Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数和Pielou指数随经度上升变化不显著;(2)相关性分析结果显示,物种多样性指数与植物特性、能量和水分因子的单因素相关关系并不一致。其中,物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener指数和Simpson指数与年均温、最冷月均温、温度年较差和潜在蒸散量的相关性最显著(P0.01),Pielou指数与年均温、最冷月均温、实际蒸散量、潜在蒸散量和郁闭度有显著相关关系(P0.05);(3)方差分解结果表明,能量和水分的共同作用对物种多样性指数空间分布格局的解释率最高,达到15%—42%;植物特性、能量和水分因子三者共同作用对物种多样性指数空间分布格局解释率次之,为14%—27%;植物特性与能量因子或水分因子两者之间的共同作用以及植物特性和水分因子独立作用对物种多样性指数空间分布格局的解释率较小,其中能量因子对物种多样性指数空间分布格局的单独解释率高于植物特性或水分因子。研究表明能量和水分共同作用是影响大尺度森林乔木层物种多样性空间分布格局形成的主要因素,但植物特性的差异对物种多样性空间分布格局影响也不可忽视。     

长白山森林／沼泽生态交错带群落和环境梯度分析

揭示了森林－沼泽过渡带群落的结构、生产力、植物多样性等群落梯度和交错环境梯度的相关规律,并结合交错区环境梯度分析这些群落特征形成机制,为维持、保护与经营管理这一交错带生物资源提供了理论依据。将长白山地区森林和高、中、低位沼泽所形成的三大类型过渡带研究对象,采用样带网格的调查方法,并应用系统软件分析方法建立了经验回归模型,研究了森林／沼泽生态交错带群落的种类组成、群落建群种径级结构与年龄结构、植物多样性、群落生产力及其随生态交错带环境梯度变化趋势。结果表明,森林／沼泽生态交错带群落结构特征、植物多样性、群落生产力均随着交错带环境梯度的变化而呈现有规律的分布格局,沿着沼泽至森林方向的交错区环境梯度,群落建种种发生更替现象;群落种类数目呈现指数递增趋势;群落的径级结构呈现双曲线分布规律性;年龄结构一般呈三次式分布规律;揿样性呈二次式梯增分布趋势;群落生物量均呈现三次函数曲线递增趋势,表现出群落梯度和环境梯度的高度相关性。     

Monitoring shifts in plant diversity in response to climate change: a method for landscapes

Improved sampling designs are needed to detect, monitor, and predict plant migrations and plant diversity changes caused by climate change and other human activities. We propose a methodology based on multi-scale vegetation plots established across forest ecotones which provide baseline data on patterns of plant diversity, invasions of exotic plant species, and plant migrations at landscape scales in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA. We established forty two 1000-m² plots in relatively homogeneous forest types and the ecotones between them on 14 vegetation transects. We found that 64% of the variance in understory species distributions at landscape scales were described generally by gradients of elevation and under-canopy solar radiation. Superimposed on broad-scale climatic gradients are small-scale gradients characterized by patches of light, pockets of fertile soil, and zones of high soil moisture. Eighteen of the 42 plots contained at least one exotic species; monitoring exotic plant invasions provides a means to assess changes in native plant diversity and plant migrations. Plant species showed weak affinities to overstory vegetation types, with 43% of the plant species found in three or more vegetation types. Replicate transects along several environmental gradients may provide the means to monitor plant diversity and species migrations at landscape scales because: (1) ecotones may play crucial roles in expanding the geophysiological ranges of many plant species; (2) low affinities of understory species to overstory forest types may predispose vegetation types to be resilient to rapid environmental change; and (3) ecotones may help buffer plant species from extirpation and extinction.     

Ant community structure during forest succession in a subtropical forest in South-East China

Understanding how communities respond to environmental gradients is critical to predict responses of species to changing habitat conditions such as in regenerating secondary habitats after human land use. In this study, ground-living ants were sampled with pitfall traps in 27 plots in a heterogeneous and diverse subtropical forest to test if and how a broad set of environmental variables including elevation, successional age, and tree species richness influence ant diversity and community composition. In total, 13,441 ant individuals belonging to 71 species were found. Ant abundance was unrelated to all environmental variables. Rarefied ant species richness was negatively related to elevation, and Shannon diversity decreased with shrub cover. There was considerable variation in ant species amongst plots, associated with elevation, successional age, and variables related to succession such as shrub cover. It is shown that younger secondary forests may support a species-rich and diverse community of ants in subtropical forests even though the species composition between younger and older forests is markedly different. These findings confirm the conservation value of secondary subtropical forests, which is critical because subtropical forests have been heavily exploited by human activities globally. However, the findings also confirm that old-growth forest should have priority in conservation as it supports a distinct ant community. Our study identifies a set of ant species which are associated with successional age and may thus potentially assist local conservation planning.     

山东蒙山植物多样性及其海拔梯度格局

2007年7月和2008年7月,采用典型取样法,沿海拔梯度对蒙山自然植被进行调查,发现区域地带性植被为麻栎(Quercus acutissima)林,主要植被类型为麻栎群落、赤松(Pinus densiflora)群落、油松(Pinus tabuliformis)群落、日本落叶松(Larix kaempferi)群落、黑松(Pinus thunbergii)群落和刺槐-麻栎(Robinia pseudoacacia-Q.acutissima)群落,麻栎群落略占优势,已具备继续向温带落叶阔叶林演替的条件基础.蒙山各层次植物物种丰富度呈现出草本层>灌木层>乔木层特征,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Simpson多样性指数整体规律为灌木层>草本层>乔木层.以蒙山森林群落不同层次的各种物种多样性指数和森林群落总体重要值为测度指标,均判断蒙山植被演替正处于亚顶极群落阶段.蒙山植物多样性沿海拔梯度呈现出近似中海拔高的单峰格局,这除受温度、湿度、人为干扰与面积外,蒙山植被亚顶极群落演替现状与所调查区域仅有800 m的海拔梯度也是重要影响因素.     

Small montane cloud forest fragments are important for conserving tree diversity in the Ecuadorian Andes

Montane tropical cloud forests, with their complex topography, biodiversity, high numbers of endemic species, and rapid rates of clearing, are a top global conservation priority. However, species distributions at local and landscape scales in cloud forests are still poorly understood, in part because few regions have been surveyed. Empirical work has focused on species distributions along elevation gradients, but spatial variation among forests at the same elevation is less commonly investigated. In this study, the first to compare tree communities across multiple Andean cloud forests at similar elevations, we surveyed trees in five ridge‐top forest reserves at the upper end of the ‘mid‐elevation diversity bulge’ (1900–2250 masl) in the Intag Valley, a heavily deforested region in the Ecuadorian Andes. We found that tree communities were distinct in reserves located as close as 10 to 35 km apart, and that spatially closer forests were not more similar to one another. Although larger (1500 to 6880 ha), more intact forests contained significantly more tree species (108–120 species/0.1 ha) than smaller (30 to 780 ha) ones (56–87 species/0.1 ha), each reserve had unique combinations of more common species, and contained high proportions of species not found in the others. Results thus suggest that protecting multiple cloud forest patches within this narrow elevational band is essential to conserve landscape‐level tree diversity, and that even small forest reserves contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation. These findings can be applied to create management plans to conserve and restore cloud forests in the Andes and tropical montane cloud forests elsewhere.     

Temporal variation in the influence of forest succession on caterpillar communities: A long‐term study in a tropical dry forest

Forest succession can influence herbivore communities through changes in host availability, plant quality, microclimate, canopy structure complexity and predator abundance. It is not well known, however, if such influence is constant across years. Caterpillars have been reported to be particularly susceptible to changes in plant community composition across forest succession, as most species are specialists and rely on the presence of their hosts. Nevertheless, in the case of tropical dry forests, plant species have less defined successional boundaries than tropical wet forests, and hence herbivore communities should be able to persist across different successional stages. To test this prediction, caterpillar communities were surveyed during eight consecutive years in a tropical dry forest in four replicated successional stages in Chamela, Jalisco and Mexico. Lepidopteran species richness and diversity were equivalent in mature forests and early successional stages, but a distinctive caterpillar community was found for the recently abandoned pastures. Species composition tended to converge among all four successional stages during the span of eight years. Overall, our results highlight the importance of both primary and secondary forest for the conservation of caterpillar biodiversity at a landscape level. We also highlight the relevance of long‐term studies when assessing the influence of forest succession to account for across year variation in species interactions and climatic factors. Abstract in French is available with online material.     

Tree diversity drives abundance and spatiotemporal β‐diversity of true bugs (Heteroptera)

1. Spatiotemporal patterns of canopy true bug diversity in forests of different tree species diversity have not yet been disentangled, although plant diversity has been shown to strongly impact the diversity and distribution of many insect communities. 2. Here we compare species richness of canopy true bugs across a tree diversity gradient ranging from simple beech to mixed forest stands. We analyse changes in community composition by additive partitioning of species diversity, for communities on various tree species, as well as for communities dwelling on beech alone. 3. Total species richness (γ‐diversity) and α‐diversity, and abundance of true bugs increased across the tree diversity gradient, while diversity changes were mediated by increased true bug abundance in the highly diverse forest stands. The same pattern was found for γ‐diversity in most functional guilds (e.g. forest specialists, herbivores, predators). Temporal and even more, spatial turnover (β‐diversity) among trees was closely related to tree diversity and accounted for ～90% of total γ‐diversity. 4. Results for beech alone were similar, but species turnover could not be related to the tree diversity gradient, and monthly turnover was higher compared to turnover among trees. 5. Our findings support the hypothesis that with increasing tree diversity and thereby increasing habitat heterogeneity, enhanced resource availability supports a greater number of individuals and species of true bugs. Tree species identity and the dissimilarity of true bug communities from tree to tree determine community patterns. 6. In conclusion, understanding diversity and distribution of insect communities in deciduous forests needs a perspective on patterns of spatiotemporal turnover. Heterogeneity among sites, tree species, as well as tree individuals contributed greatly to overall bug diversity.     

Examining variation in the leaf mass per area of dominant species across two contrasting tropical gradients in light of community assembly

Understanding variation in key functional traits across gradients in high diversity systems and the ecology of community changes along gradients in these systems is crucial in light of conservation and climate change. We examined inter‐ and intraspecific variation in leaf mass per area (LMA) of sun and shade leaves along a 3330‐m elevation gradient in Peru, and in sun leaves across a forest–savanna vegetation gradient in Brazil. We also compared LMA variance ratios (T‐statistics metrics) to null models to explore internal (i.e., abiotic) and environmental filtering on community structure along the gradients. Community‐weighted LMA increased with decreasing forest cover in Brazil, likely due to increased light availability and water stress, and increased with elevation in Peru, consistent with the leaf economic spectrum strategy expected in colder, less productive environments. A very high species turnover was observed along both environmental gradients, and consequently, the first source of variation in LMA was species turnover. Variation in LMA at the genus or family levels was greater in Peru than in Brazil. Using dominant trees to examine possible filters on community assembly, we found that in Brazil, internal filtering was strongest in the forest, while environmental filtering was observed in the dry savanna. In Peru, internal filtering was observed along 80% of the gradient, perhaps due to variation in taxa or interspecific competition. Environmental filtering was observed at cloud zone edges and in lowlands, possibly due to water and nutrient availability, respectively. These results related to variation in LMA indicate that biodiversity in species rich tropical assemblages may be structured by differential niche‐based processes. In the future, specific mechanisms generating these patterns of variation in leaf functional traits across tropical environmental gradients should be explored.     

Contrasting patterns of lichen functional diversity and species richness across an elevation gradient

Major environmental gradients co‐vary with elevation and have been a longstanding natural tool allowing ecologists to study global diversity patterns at smaller scales, and to make predictions about the consequences of climate change. These analyses have traditionally studied taxonomic diversity, but new functional diversity approaches may provide a deeper understanding of the ecological mechanisms driving species assembly. We examined lichen taxonomic and functional diversity patterns on 195 plots (200 m²) together with forest structure along an elevational gradient of 1000 m in a temperate low mountain range (Bohemian Forest, Germany). Along this elevation gradient temperature decreased and precipitation increased, two macroclimatic variables critical for lichens. Elevation was more important than forest structure in driving taxonomic and functional diversity. While species richness increased with elevation, functional diversity decreased and revealed that community patterns shift with elevation from random to clustered, reflecting selection for key shared traits. Higher elevations favored species with a complex growth form (which takes advantage of high moisture) and asexual reproductive mode (facilitating establishment under low temperature conditions). Our analysis highlights the need to examine alternative forms of diversity and opens the avenue for community predictions about climate change. For a regional scenario with increasing temperature and decreasing availability of moisture, we expect a loss of specialized species with a complex growth form and those with vegetative organs at higher elevations in low mountain ranges in Europe.     

Mountain metacommunities: climate and spatial connectivity shape ant diversity in a complex landscape

Understanding what drives biodiversity patterns across scales is a central goal of ecology. Both environmental gradients and spatial landscape structure have been found to be important factors influencing species distributions and community composition, and partly reflect the balance of underlying deterministic and stochastic community processes. In some systems, environmental gradients and spatial connectivity are intertwined in that steep environmental gradients serve as boundaries on species movements and impose environment‐derived complex spatial structure to metacommunities. Mountainous landscapes are prime examples of this, and recent theory has linked principles of geomorphology, environmental gradients, and spatial structure to make predictions for resulting community patterns. In this context, we examine variation in taxonomic and phylogenetic ant diversity patterns along a geographic transect spanning > 5000 m in elevational range in the Hengduan mountains of southern China. We found that environmental gradients dominate variation in both alpha and beta diversity in this landscape, with alpha diversity strongly declining with elevation and beta diversity driven by elevational differences. However, within an elevational band spatial connectivity predicts beta diversity better than geographic distance. Our findings deviate from theoretical predictions in several ways, notably alpha diversity is monotonically declining and within‐band beta diversity is invariant with increasing elevation. The discrepancies between theory and observation may be explained by differences in the Hengduan landscape from idealized fluvial landscapes, such as a lack of a mid‐elevation peak in connectivity, as well as evolutionary limits on the source pool of species available to populate metacommunities at different elevations. The latter is supported by variation in phylogenetic community structure with elevation. Our results demonstrate the power of conceptual, statistical, and theoretical frameworks that integrate the roles of environment and spatial structure in metacommunities, but that additional work is needed to bridge the gap between abstract theory and real systems.     

Australian Tropical and Subtropical Rain Forest Community Assembly: Phylogeny,Functional Biogeography,and Environmental Gradients

To compare community assemblage patterns in tropical northeastern and subtropical central eastern Australia across selected gradients and scales, we tested the relationship of species traits with phylogenetic structure, and niche breadth. We considered phylogenetic relationships across current‐day species in assemblages in relation to rain forest species pool sizes, and trait values along gradients including elevation and latitude. Trait values were quantified across scales for seed size, leaf area, wood density and maximum height at maturity for 1137 species and 596 assemblages using trait gradient analysis (TGA). Local assemblages of subtropical species had narrower trait ranges, and higher niche breadth values than corresponding assemblages of tropical species. Leaf size and seed size increased at low latitudes, and community phylogenetic structure was most strongly correlated with seed traits in the subtropics, reflecting dispersal and re‐colonization processes. Elevation accounted for little of the variance in community phylogenetic structure or trait variation across local and regional scales. Stable moist forest areas retained many species from ancestral rain forest lineages across a range of temporally conserved habitats; species within assemblages were less related; and rain forest assemblages had higher functional diversity, but lower niche breadth. This suggests that on average, assemblages of species in stable areas had greater trait variation and narrower distributions. Historic and recent rain forest contraction and re‐expansion can result in recolonized areas that are dominated by species that are more related (phylogenetically) than by chance, have smaller, widely dispersed seeds, and greater niche breadth (broader distributions).