Figure 1

Conceptual diagram illustrating the predictions derived from patterns of spatial association and functional diversity at different scales. At finer spatial scales (neighborhood), the combination of spatial association patterns and functional diversity provides four possible scenarios regarding the dominant assembly processes: (1) Facilitation is inferred when species are spatially aggregated and traits exhibit divergence; (2) limiting similarity is expected to prevail when species are spatially segregated and traits show a pattern of divergence; (3) abiotic constraints are assumed to be at play when species are spatially aggregated and traits exhibit convergence and; (4) weaker-competitor exclusion is inferred if species are spatially segregated, and traits show convergence. At a broader scale (among patches), we anticipate the following scenarios: (1) Habitat filtering is expected to result in trait convergence and spatial aggregation (abiotic constraint), (2) micro-Environmental Filtering (Environmental Heterogeneity) is indicated by trait convergence and spatial segregation, because species with varying ecological tolerances or resource-use strategies occupy different habitats or patches within a site. The effects of environmental heterogeneity can also be detected if plants are spatially aggerated and their traits diverge because plant species are occupying the more favorable patches within a site (environmental heterogeneity). Finally, (3) a competition-colonization tradeoff will lead to trait divergence and spatial segregation of species.