Files and links (1)
CC BY-NC V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Seeding in single species aggregations promotes evenness of diverse shrub species in Banksia woodlands in the first year of growth
Restoration Ecology, Early View
2026
Abstract
Introduction
Species interactions are an overlooked yet important determinant of plant community assembly in ecological restoration. Specifically, they may determine species that are helped or hindered by neighboring plants during community assembly. Evidence suggests that intraspecific aggregation in combination with interspecific segregation may improve diversity outcomes in restoration owing to facilitation among individuals of the same species and reduced competition among individuals of different species.
Objectives
To quantify the effect of plant aggregations in the first year of Banksia woodland restoration, we planted seeds of six common woody shrub species in three spatial patterns: single species aggregated, mixed species aggregated, and mixed species dispersed plantings.
Methods
Seedling emergence was monitored and survival was measured monthly through seedling establishment. These data were used to infer strength and direction of intraspecific and interspecific interactions in relation to spatial patterns of planting.
Results
Four of the six species demonstrated higher survival in single-species aggregated plantings relative to mixed-species dispersed plantings (p < 0.05), while survival of a fifth was higher in mixed-species dispersed plantings than either aggregated planting arrangements (p < 0.01). At the plot level (1 m2), single-species aggregated plantings had greater community evenness than either mixed-species aggregated (p = 0.02) or mixed-species dispersed (p < 0.01) planting treatments.
Conclusion
Our results support the notion of intraspecific aggregation and interspecific segregation promoting species evenness in the first year of restoration for a mesic high plant diversity ecosystem.
Details
- Title
- Seeding in single species aggregations promotes evenness of diverse shrub species in Banksia woodlands in the first year of growth
- Authors/Creators
- Lauren N. Svejcar - United States Department of AgricultureBen P. Miller - The University of Western AustraliaJason C. StevensRachel Standish - Murdoch University, School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
- Publication Details
- Restoration Ecology, Early View
- Publisher
- Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Ecological Restoration.; HOBOKEN
- Number of pages
- 10
- Identifiers
- 991005861091007891
- Copyright
- © 2026 State of Western Australia and The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
- Resource Type
- Journal article
Metrics
1 File views/ downloads
1 Record Views