Trait-based species selection for restoration: A case study from tropical landscapes dominated by bracken

Deforestation leads to non-forested areas that often need active ecological restoration to promote forest succession. Here, we developed a trait-based approach to guide the design of restoration projects and tested our approach in tropical areas deforested by fires and dominated by bracken. Deforestation caused by human-induced fires creates complex conservation problems in tropical areas. After fire, montane tropical deforested areas are often dominated by bracken fern (Pteridium spp.), which prevents the establishment of many species of trees. This means that effective ecological restoration strategies are needed for forest recovery. We explored whether a trait-based approach could be used to guide the selection of tree species in active restoration projects in deforested areas. We first tested whether traits could be used to predict which species can overcome bracken-associated filters. We then tested the relationship between the trait-based predictions for each species and their abu..., , # Data from: Trait-based species selection for restoration: A case study from tropical landscapes dominated by bracken

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.8931zcs4q](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8931zcs4q)

## Description of the data and file structure

The dataset contains all data required to replicate analyses in Gallegos et al. 2025. We established a seed addition experiment at eight sites in the vicinity of Chulumani village, Sud Yungas province, La Paz, Bolivia. The experiment was established in burned areas from the tropical montane forest dominated by the bracken fern *Pteridium esculentum,* at 100 m from the forest edge. In each site, we planted 23 tree species in different quantities according to their seed size. Seeds were collected from at least ten individuals per species. We monitored seedling establishment, survival, and growth after 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. We measured the following functional traits in five adult individuals of each species: maximum tree height (HM, in m), l...,