Analysis / Aim Methods Settings Expectations
1a. Determine the degree of host-specificity of the plant-associated organisms Estimate the distribution of the proportion δfi/δff of shared organisms between all species pairs f–i. δfi is the number of shared (ij) or unique (i=j) organisms. Moderate host-specificity of the plant-associated organisms (i.e., pathogens, insects, and epiphytes) that may vary with organism type and forest.
1b. Do guilds of plant associated organisms show collinear responses? Mantel tests Kendall (τ)
2. Do saplings of type f (dry- or fleshy fruited) share with their sapling neighbours more or less antagonists (or mutualists) than expected?
Spatial point pattern analysis with two summary functions: αf,S (r): the proportion of heterospecific saplings located within distance r of saplings of type f αf,phy (r) the expected number of organisms shared between saplings of type f and its sapling neighbours
999 simulations of the toroidal shift null model for each focal species and abundance-weighted averaging over all fleshy- and dry-fruited species.
2.1. Dry-fruited saplings should share less than expected antagonist with their sapling neighbours (JC effects removed the dense clusters of conspecific offspring). 2.2. Less pronounced or absent effects for fleshy fruited species because animal seed dispersal transports seeds to more favourable location.
3. Do saplings of type f (dry- or fleshy fruited) share with their adult neighbours more or less antagonists (or mutualists) than expected?
Same as in 2), but now considering the adult neighbours of saplings.
Same as in 2), but now considering the adult neighbours of saplings.
3.1. Weak patterns of antagonists for dry-fruited species since JC effects removed most offspring close to conspecific adults, but higher than expected number of shared mutualists. 3.2. Weak patterns for fleshy-fruited species, see 2.2
4. Do adults of type f (dry- or fleshy fruited) share with their adult neighbours more or less antagonists (or mutualists) than expected?
Same as in 2), but now considering the adult neighbours of adults.
Same as in 2), but now considering the adult neighbours of adults.
4.1. JC effects at early life stages should lead to weak or absent effects for dry fruited species. 4.2. Lack of JC effects in fleshy fruited species leads to multispecies clumps with adult neighbourhoods sharing fewer than expected antagonists.