Data from: Co-fruiting plant species share similar fruit and seed traits while phylogenetic patterns vary through time

1.Co-fruiting plant species are subject to a variety of biotic and abiotic processes that may influence patterns of fruiting phenology and the functional and phylogenetic diversity of co-fruiting taxa in a community. Understanding the seasonal patterns of functional and phylogenetic diversity of fruiting in a community will shed new light on potential mechanisms structuring plant communities.

2.Using rainforest trees in south-eastern Madagascar as our system, we predicted there would be clustering of fruit and seed traits and phylogenetic relationships among co-fruiting species because plants are vying for seed dispersal services from a limited set of generalist frugivore taxa. We also predicted that seasonal variations in rainfall would mediate fluctuations in functional trait and phylogenetic diversity of co-fruiting assemblages.

3.Despite fluctuating patterns in their functional trait diversity over time, co-fruiting assemblages displayed consistent clustering of fruit/seed traits across time. Phylogenetic diversity was not clustered overall, but fluctuated non-randomly, in time between clustered and overdispersed, such that strong shifts in rainfall were associated with the co-fruiting of more closely related species.

4.Synthesis: We suggest that it may be more beneficial for co-fruiting plant species to share similar fruit and seed traits than to diversify traits, when they rely on a comparatively small set of generalist frugivorous taxa for seed dispersal. Results also demonstrate that rainfall-driven environmental filtering may cause seasonal fluctuations in the phylogenetic patterns of phenology in a community. Results highlight the importance of a temporal context in examining structural patterns of communities.

1. 共结实植物物种会受到多种生物与非生物过程的影响，这些过程可作用于群落内共结实类群的结实物候（fruiting phenology）格局，以及其功能多样性（functional diversity）与系统发育多样性（phylogenetic diversity）。解析群落内结实类群的功能与系统发育多样性的季节格局，可为揭示塑造植物群落结构的潜在机制提供全新视角。
2. 本研究以马达加斯加东南部雨林中的乔木类群为研究系统，提出两项预测：其一，由于植物需竞争有限的广食性食果动物（frugivore）类群提供的种子扩散（seed dispersal）服务，共结实物种间的果实、种子性状及系统发育关系应呈现聚集格局；其二，降雨的季节波动可调控共结实集合群落的功能性状与系统发育多样性的变化。
3. 尽管共结实集合群落的功能性状多样性随时间呈现波动格局，但它们的果实/种子性状始终保持聚集状态。整体而言，系统发育多样性并未呈现聚集格局，而是随时间以非随机方式在聚集与系统发育分散（overdispersed）之间波动；且降雨的剧烈波动往往对应着亲缘关系更近的物种共同结实的现象。
4. 综合分析：本研究认为，当共结实植物类群依赖数量有限的广食性食果动物类群完成种子扩散时，相较于性状分化，共享相似的果实与种子性状或许更具适应性优势。研究结果同时表明，由降雨驱动的环境过滤作用，可引发群落结实物候系统发育格局的季节波动。本研究结果凸显了时间维度在解析群落结构格局中的重要性。